Sad change in fish behaviour

[Christina]

Hi everyone.

This is the first time I have written about the pond. All my (limited) knowledge is of tropical fish, but my parents got a pond a few months ago.

At first the fish we had (all goldfish types, shubunkins etc.) were very inactive and would never come up to feed.

The weather then got warmer and the whole pond came to life - it was really lovely, especially when we'd spent so long worrying about problems. All the fish would come up to the surface when you went near the pond and they all seemed to be starving.

Then a week or so ago everything went quiet again. They are all hiding at the bottom and there is no activity.
This weekend one of them died. We gave it a good look over and can't see any apparent reason for his death.
Another is missing presumed dead :-(

We have tested the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and they are all fine so we really don't know what is going on.

A heron came to the pond once before at the end of the winter so they are worried that a heron might have been back and disturbed the fish.

Do you think this is probably the case or are u able to suggest what the problem might be?

Thanks.

 

[Guest]

A heron came to the pond once before at the end of the winter so they are worried that a heron might have been back and disturbed the fish.

This is very possible. After the Heron attacks I've had here, my fish got very spooked and skittish, would hide whenver anyone approched the pond. It takes a few weeks for their behavior to return to normal, provided the heron doesn't come back.

 

[SquishyFish]

My first thought (after you said you tested everything) was the o2 level in the water. How are ya'll oxygentating the water? Do you have any plants in the pond. Do you run the pump 24/7 or just during the day. Low o2 levels will cause lethargy in the fish and eventually death? What color is the water?

 

[Christina]

Thanks for your replies both of you.

I did read them nearer the time you replied and decided that it probably was a heron coming to the pond. We now have a thing that squirts water at things that come near the pond, and I think it's working.

As corvuscorax said they have returned to normal after a few weeks and seems to be happy again (near the surface a lot and feeding).

In answer to SquishyFish (congratulations on your amusing name btw) we have a pump that is on 24/7 and oxygenating plants. The water looks clear to me.

Thanks again for your replies and sorry I took so long to get back to you.