Goldfish suicide
 

Yesterday I added a 2nd barrel with a "waterfall"

So then I added about twice the water to the system, used a
declorinator.

This morning I found BOTH (2/2) my feeder gf on the ground (similar
spot) jumped from where the waterfall is. But then I also moved some
clumps of floating plants to the upper barrel too, so the fish has took
the opportunity.

Do the fishes jump upstream? Too much stress?
I think it is my fault because I topped the bottom barrel kind of high,
previously I had the single barrel with the bubbler fountain and I
barely see them.

The top pond is full too all the time, what are non-jumping variety of
goldfish?

I lost a mosquito fish as well on the same spot, maybe jumped trying to
catch something in the air.

Anyone know how to "glue" river rocks together? Do you think I can use
aquarium silicone to attach some rocks to the rims of the barrel?
(plastic liner)

Those with the cascade barrels, do you tilt the upper barrels slightly?
I did and at some places the water is closer to the rim of the barrel,
so I think I need to build some kind of net or dam to fence off those
areas.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I lost a mosquito fish as well on the same spot, maybe jumped trying to
catch something in the air.

Anyone know how to "glue" river rocks together? Do you think I can use
aquarium silicone to attach some rocks to the rims of the barrel?
(plastic liner)

Those with the cascade barrels, do you tilt the upper barrels slightly?
I did and at some places the water is closer to the rim of the barrel,
so I think I need to build some kind of net or dam to fence off those
areas.
======================
There may be some reason the fish aren't comfortable in these barrels. Not
enough cover perhaps? Too much current 24/7? Too much sun?
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Probably, I took my water to the LFS and test turned out pretty
neutral.

They probably didn't like the new setup, with the bubbler fountain I
never see them on the surface.

Do you know of a material I can use to create a fence around the rim of
the barrel? I am thinking some plastic grid mesh should do the trick,
but I don't know if they sell something like that.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Probably, I took my water to the LFS and test turned out pretty
neutral.

They probably didn't like the new setup, with the bubbler fountain I
never see them on the surface.

Do you know of a material I can use to create a fence around the rim of
the barrel? I am thinking some plastic grid mesh should do the trick,
but I don't know if they sell something like that.
-=================================-
I don't know what you can use that would look ok. Mesh of some kind would
be ideal but would not be attractive. Mine stop jumping when I put a water
lily or water lettuce/hyacinths in with them - no matter what they're in.
They have a lot of cover and stay near the surface when in the barrels.
Fish need cover, something to give them a feeling of security. I find
barrels are not an ideal place for fish. They're too deep with not enough
surface area. That's why I only keep very young small goldfish in them.
They really need small fish like guppies or something similar. I tried
rosyreds but they didn't thrive in the barrels at all.
--
McKoi.... frugal ponding since 1995...
My Pond Page http://tinyurl.com/cuq5b
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

wrote in message
oglegroups.com...
===I lost a mosquito fish as well on the same spot, maybe jumped trying to
=== catch something in the air.
===
=== Anyone know how to "glue" river rocks together? Do you think I can use
=== aquarium silicone to attach some rocks to the rims of the barrel?
=== (plastic liner)
===
=== Those with the cascade barrels, do you tilt the upper barrels slightly?
=== I did and at some places the water is closer to the rim of the barrel,
=== so I think I need to build some kind of net or dam to fence off those
=== areas.

I owuld use great stuff expanding foam not silicone, and just be aware
not much really sticks to the material preforms are made from.

No need to til the barrels, water is going to spil out the lowest
elevation which in the case of a spillway type liner is the spillway
lip. Water is always going to be "level" so therefore you evidently
did not have your barrels setup level to begin with, or..........what
I have found is a problem that does not show up until after thr
barrels are full of water is the barrel liner itself does not lay flat
against the bottom of the barrel itself, and the weight of the water
pulls the barrel liner down into the barrel even more and may pull a
side down in one place more than another, or in general settle down
into the barrel and make the top edges on a slant.

Best thing to do is measure from your liners outside bottom up to the
bottom of the top inner edge of the rolled over edge which fits on the
barrels cut edge. Then measure the distance from the top of thre cut
barrel to its bottom. Subtract the difference between the two and
thats how much sand or fine gravel needs to be added to the inside of
the half barrel, to support the bottom of the liner. 20 gal of water
is over 150# and the liners lip is not designed to support that kind
of weight, so you need to support the barrel liners bottoms. Measure
it at a few places from the liner top to the water surface and it
should all be the same distance if the barrel/liner is setting level.
If not adjust accordingly. Properly supported and level they work
fine, and depending on the size pump used, will put out a decent fow
of water out of the spillway. My wifes triple barrel setup with a MAG5
creates a flow of water out of the two cascade liners of approximately
5/16 to 3/8" deep and the full width of the spillway, . You have to
level and support those liners in a barrel for best results, no dams
or nets needed, and water should be approx 3/4" to 1" or so from
liners uppermost edge.

I keep tropical fish in the wifes triple barrel setup, and used a
piece of lexan of 3/32" thickness cut into a strip 6" high that is
rolled into a circle the diameter of the lip on the liner, and it
serves as an almost invisible barrier to those that jump. Have yet to
loose a fish, and they are not obtursive to the view. Almost
invisible to the eye if kept clean.....I had used 1/2" plastic ridgid
net formed into a sort of fence / barrier previously,m and it did not
work all that well as rain would fill up barrels and fish could then
go through the mesh if they wanted........NOw there is enough space
for excess water to flow between plastic barrier and liner and not
allow fish to excape in the flow.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o

Thanks, I tiled the barrel to start with, just with a concrete cap
piece, it worked great, then I untilted it, and the water
falls/splashes too close to the edge for my liking; (more water loss)
and the top barrel sort of need to be more full ALL AROUND before water
would fall down. Or I would have to turn the pump so high it creates
"thick" waterfall and it end up hard to see the fishes.

I made a grate from mesh to avoid fish from falling into the lower
barrel, but do they do that? I think they probably would like to swim
against the current, not let the waterfall wash them down. But I put
the grate there to be sure.

Maybe you have a liner that the lip extends further, I find with tilted
I only get a small area of "dangerous" areas for fish on the top
barrel, where as untiled it is sort of high level all around..

Anyways, it really doesn't matter if I tilt it or not as I'm going to
make a fence anyway, the lexan sounds good, any plastic net would
probably soften when it is in the sun.

For some reason or other it seems if yuou have curretnt flowing and a
fish can get into it, it will follow it. I had problems myself with
some going out through the spillway, and yet others under the
spillway in another barrel continualy jumping up as if they were
salmon doing the run up stream thing. Netting works, but not as good
as a plastic barrier / guard does, plus plastic is easier to keep
clean.Use polycarbonate, not plexiglass or its apt to craze and crack
in sunlight, plus its not as flexible as polycarbonate is.......Lexan
is a polycarbonate plastic.........Lucite, Plexiglass is not.

On 28 Aug 2005 10:25:07 -0700, wrote:

===Thanks, I tiled the barrel to start with, just with a concrete cap
===piece, it worked great, then I untilted it, and the water
===falls/splashes too close to the edge for my liking; (more water loss)
===and the top barrel sort of need to be more full ALL AROUND before water
===would fall down. Or I would have to turn the pump so high it creates
==="thick" waterfall and it end up hard to see the fishes.
===
===I made a grate from mesh to avoid fish from falling into the lower
===barrel, but do they do that? I think they probably would like to swim
===against the current, not let the waterfall wash them down. But I put
===the grate there to be sure.
===
===Maybe you have a liner that the lip extends further, I find with tilted
===I only get a small area of "dangerous" areas for fish on the top
===barrel, where as untiled it is sort of high level all around..
===
===Anyways, it really doesn't matter if I tilt it or not as I'm going to
===make a fence anyway, the lexan sounds good, any plastic net would
===probably soften when it is in the sun.


==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!
"The original frugal ponder"
~~~~ }((((o ~~~~~~ }{{{{o ~~~~~~~ }(((((o