Need help - suicidal shubunkans

Elaine T wrote:

Well, the fish separated themselves. I came out this morning and the
smaller fish had squeezed herself through the grate on the spillway and
was in the bottom barrel. Guess I'll leave them that way. I've read
that goldies like company, but I guess these two won't be social until
after springtime is over.

*sigh* The saga continues. The second shubunkan squeezed through the
grate as well so both were in the bottom barrel this morning when I fed.
I didn't have time to do anything about it. This afternoon, I came
home to ... you guessed it. Another crispy, dried out fish. *sniffle*
I've had it. That one aggressive shubunkan can stay alone until I
figure out a foolproof way to keep fish out of the spillways and in the
barrel.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

"Elaine T" wrote in message
m...
*sigh* The saga continues. The second shubunkan squeezed through the
grate as well so both were in the bottom barrel this morning when I fed.
I didn't have time to do anything about it. This afternoon, I came
home to ... you guessed it. Another crispy, dried out fish. *sniffle*
I've had it. That one aggressive shubunkan can stay alone until I
figure out a foolproof way to keep fish out of the spillways and in the
barrel.
=======================
I was sitting on the porch enjoying the small waterfall in the inground 150
gallon mini-pond when a shubunkin started to try going UP the waterfall.
He/she tried and tried.... looking like a salmon trying to get to it's
breeding grounds. Finally it gave up. Fish do strange things (from a human
point of view).

Over the years I've had several goldfish and one koi commit suicide.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
~~~ }((((o ~~~ }{{{{o ~~~ }(((((o

Where in the world did you get that idea??? I have 2 gambusia, 4 white
clouds, and 2 shubunkans in THREE half barrels connected by spillways and
well filtered.
__ Elaine T __

DKat wrote:
So you have six fish in 3 barrels - 2 fish per barrel vs 5 per barrel with 2
of them being Koi....... stikes me as a tad different.

DKat, where are you coming up with koi? She has basically 2 goldfish and 6
minnows, in 3 barrels. ~ jan
~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

"Elaine T" wrote in message

*sigh* The saga continues. The second shubunkan squeezed through the
grate as well so both were in the bottom barrel this morning when I fed.
I didn't have time to do anything about it. This afternoon, I came
home to ... you guessed it. Another crispy, dried out fish. *sniffle*
I've had it. That one aggressive shubunkan can stay alone until I
figure out a foolproof way to keep fish out of the spillways and in the
barrel.

Elaine, try fantail goldfish next time. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message


*sigh* The saga continues. The second shubunkan squeezed through the
grate as well so both were in the bottom barrel this morning when I fed.
I didn't have time to do anything about it. This afternoon, I came
home to ... you guessed it. Another crispy, dried out fish. *sniffle*
I've had it. That one aggressive shubunkan can stay alone until I
figure out a foolproof way to keep fish out of the spillways and in the
barrel.


Elaine, try fantail goldfish next time. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

*sigh* I wish I liked fantails. No offense meant to fancy goldfish
fans, but double tailed fish look like mutants to me. I'm not fond of
double tailed bettas either.

However, I did what George suggested and changed half the water. Then I
started filtration over Chemi-pure since none of the usual water tests
indicated any sort of biofiltration problem. After a couple of days of
my last shubunkan staying in the water I bought two more fish (for a
total of 3 shubunkans).

One jumped again, but I found him in time. Next I turned the pump way
down on Carol's suggestion. I thought that was the answer but the same
fish jumped again, and I rescued him again. Finally, now that there's
been chemical filtration for a week or so, the shubunkans are staying in
the pond.

I have no idea what was in that water, but George's guess that it was
something irritating may have been right. Maybe it was a garden
chemical (my landlord has gardeners handle the yard), or something that
the rain brought down. Maybe even outgassing chemicals from new pond
liner or the small amounts of fishtank silicone and reeftank epoxy I
used in the spillways. I have no idea. Anyway, between George and
Carol the current is more appropriate, water is better, and I haven't
had a jumper in a few days so I'm very hopeful.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

"Elaine T" wrote in message
...
~ jan JJsPond.us wrote:
"Elaine T" wrote in message


*sigh* The saga continues. The second shubunkan squeezed through the
grate as well so both were in the bottom barrel this morning when I fed.
I didn't have time to do anything about it. This afternoon, I came
home to ... you guessed it. Another crispy, dried out fish. *sniffle*
I've had it. That one aggressive shubunkan can stay alone until I
figure out a foolproof way to keep fish out of the spillways and in the
barrel.


Elaine, try fantail goldfish next time. ~ jan

~Power to the Porg, Flow On!~

*sigh* I wish I liked fantails. No offense meant to fancy goldfish fans, but
double tailed fish look like mutants to me. I'm not fond of double tailed
bettas either.

However, I did what George suggested and changed half the water. Then I
started filtration over Chemi-pure since none of the usual water tests
indicated any sort of biofiltration problem. After a couple of days of my
last shubunkan staying in the water I bought two more fish (for a total of 3
shubunkans).

One jumped again, but I found him in time. Next I turned the pump way down on
Carol's suggestion. I thought that was the answer but the same fish jumped
again, and I rescued him again. Finally, now that there's been chemical
filtration for a week or so, the shubunkans are staying in the pond.

I have no idea what was in that water, but George's guess that it was
something irritating may have been right. Maybe it was a garden chemical (my
landlord has gardeners handle the yard), or something that the rain brought
down. Maybe even outgassing chemicals from new pond liner or the small
amounts of fishtank silicone and reeftank epoxy I used in the spillways. I
have no idea. Anyway, between George and Carol the current is more
appropriate, water is better, and I haven't had a jumper in a few days so I'm
very hopeful.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

Silicone sealant contains acetic acid, which can be irritating to fish gills and
any other mucous membranes. I'm not certain what is in reeftank epoxy. If you
filled the barrels before the silicone or epoxy had completely cured, they could
release irritants into the water. It doesn't take a lot to be irritating. A
water change and chemical purification of the water no doubt reduced the
concentrations of whatever irritant was in the water.