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#203376 - 04/21/08 03:52 PM HELP - dead fish!!!
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
Some of you know that I got a pound of free fathead minnows from the county health department about 2 weeks ago. Everything was fine with them, saw them swimming around, until Don turned on the pump and skimmer in the pond last Thursday. At first there were only a couple of dead fish every day or so, but today, when he turned off the pumps again to find out where the leak was coming from, there were 18 dead fish!!! And they all had their stomach missing!!!

We took some out of the pond to be able to post pictures -
Someone... PLEASE tell me what is doing this???





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#203377 - 04/21/08 04:13 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: plants 'n pots]
jonni13 Online content
Webkinz Queen
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/05
Posts: 15412
Loc: So. Cal.
I have no idea, Lynne. I have never seen anything like it. That is so odd. I'm wondering about moving parts of the pump/skimmer?
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#203383 - 04/21/08 04:28 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: jonni13]
suzydaze Offline
Daisy
Dream Gardener


Registered: 08/03/04
Posts: 2983
Loc: Arkansas
that's terrible, you think something might have ate that part and not the rest of the fish, racoon maybe
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#203387 - 04/21/08 04:40 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: suzydaze]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
These fish are only between 1-3 inches, so I think a racoon would eat the whole thing, you know?

Tina - my inclination is something to do with the skimmer too, but what would do that???
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#203388 - 04/21/08 04:41 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: suzydaze]
loz Administrator Online happy
Big Trouble
Garden Helper


Registered: 05/18/03
Posts: 40459
Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...
I just showed Mark and he's as stumped as I am.

He said a Raccoon would absolutely eat the whole fish......as would most animals....leaving the pond pump/skimmer, but then why would it not get a tail on a few, or a head...not just the stomach.

I wonder if it could be something to do with a bacterial disease somehow or something like that. I couldn't find any information anywhere on google about something like this.

That makes me so sad for you and those fish. Mine are honestly my pets and I'd be crying if I found that.
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#203389 - 04/21/08 04:43 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
loz Administrator Online happy
Big Trouble
Garden Helper


Registered: 05/18/03
Posts: 40459
Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...
I wouldn't put your koi in there until you figure it out....maybe you should get a few cheapo goldfish from Walmart and see if they make it in there.

Do you have a water testing kit Lynne to check ammonia levels and such?

I just can't get over those fish, and the fact that it was their stomachs like that. It's so strange.
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#203394 - 04/21/08 04:55 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
Thanks loz - I know you feel the same about your fish as I do!

I am going to call the county health dept. number tomorrow - the one where I ordered the fish and see if they can help me.

Don was also thinking maybe a bacteria - it's just so bazaare how the entire stomach is gone, you know?
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#203440 - 04/21/08 06:24 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: plants 'n pots]
waterwise Offline
Member


Registered: 03/20/08
Posts: 27
Loc: utah , sevier
I would say that the fish were already dead went there stomachs were eaten. The first thing eaten is the soft tissue there. Do you have snails in the pond? Other fish will also eat this part first. Just a guess as this happins in my tanks as well. Sorry for your loss hope you figure it out.
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#203451 - 04/21/08 06:36 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: waterwise]
suzydaze Offline
Daisy
Dream Gardener


Registered: 08/03/04
Posts: 2983
Loc: Arkansas
looks like something ate them to me...do you have other fish in the pond?
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I try to take one day at a time -- but sometimes several days attack me at once.
-Jennifer Unlimited-


http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/suzydaze/my%20yard/?albumview=slideshow

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#203455 - 04/21/08 06:41 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: suzydaze]
emdeGardener2 Online happy
Great Gardener


Registered: 02/22/08
Posts: 944
Loc: Merced County,California
Looks like other fish were nibbling those fish.Minnows are baitfish;other fish eat them so they are used as fishing bait.
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#203458 - 04/21/08 06:45 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: emdeGardener2]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
No other fish, no snails, no nothing! They were the first things to go into the pond, other than a couple of frogs that I saw last summer but haven't returned yet.
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#203460 - 04/21/08 06:53 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: plants 'n pots]
loz Administrator Online happy
Big Trouble
Garden Helper


Registered: 05/18/03
Posts: 40459
Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...
It's so strange to me....I mean I have huge goldfish in my pond, and tons and tons of mosquito fish---some as big as 3 inches long, and I've NEVER ever had any of them die with just the stomach being eaten out like that. Ever.

It's such a weird mystery to me.......
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#203475 - 04/21/08 07:07 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
I know, loz - can't wait til we solve this mystery.
If we don't get an answer tomorrow, then we are going to stop at the ponding store in NJ on Wednesday, on the way home from a dr's appointment - we will take the pictures with us and hopefully someone there will know!
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#203478 - 04/21/08 07:10 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
JunieGirl Offline
Frogger
Gardening Pro


Registered: 10/13/06
Posts: 9023
Loc: Worden, Illinois
Lynne--I just remembered something. My tropical fish would eat each other, (stomach) and the would nip nip away until the fish being attacvked would finally die---i could be your fish were eating each other.---I finally had to stop mixing certain fish---could it be that your fish ARE eating each other?// are their any left?? can you put them in a small tank or aquarium?? (by themselves??)---to do an experiment of sorts?
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#203484 - 04/21/08 07:27 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: JunieGirl]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
Good ideas, Carol - I didn't see any live ones today, and they are all the same type, so would they eat their own kind? Tis a puzzlement!
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#203523 - 04/21/08 11:14 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: plants 'n pots]
Joclyn Offline
Deep Purple
Dream Gardener


Registered: 07/18/05
Posts: 2099
Loc: philly
sorry for your losses!!

kind of a silly question...were you feeding them? if you weren't then they would eat each other...and the stomach would be the spot.
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#203549 - 04/22/08 06:17 AM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: Joclyn]
loz Administrator Online happy
Big Trouble
Garden Helper


Registered: 05/18/03
Posts: 40459
Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...
Now that is a good question.

It's like even though I have mosquito fish that eat larvae, etc....I do supplement then at feeding time with flake food. Especially at this time of year when there aren't a lot of bugs out......
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#203556 - 04/22/08 06:28 AM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
Not a silly question, Joclyn - I was not feeding them - I was told we didn't have to, that they would find enough bugs, and larvae, etc in the water? That was the whole purpose of getting them in the first place - the county is trying to control the mosquito population. I hope that isn't the problem - I don't even know if there are any survivors - I can't see into the pond these days!
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#203698 - 04/22/08 07:08 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: plants 'n pots]
loz Administrator Online happy
Big Trouble
Garden Helper


Registered: 05/18/03
Posts: 40459
Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...
Lynne, were you able to ask anyone about this today? It's still been going around in my head as to what could've happened.
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#203701 - 04/22/08 07:12 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
dodge Offline
Hot Rod
Gardening Pro


Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 9390
Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania


Maybe we need a Fishigation, on the matter?
Sad ......I killed mine in 3 days. Betta.
I arent a fish farmer..
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#203719 - 04/22/08 08:23 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: dodge]
JunieGirl Offline
Frogger
Gardening Pro


Registered: 10/13/06
Posts: 9023
Loc: Worden, Illinois
I am not a good beta farmer either, barb--it seems they are very touchy about their water temperature.--DD drove with it in her car counsol,in a cup for 9 hrs & kept it alive & I killed it in 3 hours by changing its water---

I didn't know--I would have let it set for 24 hours if I had of known they were so touchy.--I had had aquariums before this, I thouht I was being careful.

of course It could have been the IL water verses the Nebraska water too, i guess
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Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!!
*Still Praying for Cindy *


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#203727 - 04/22/08 08:38 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: JunieGirl]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
We are going to the ponding store tomorrow with the same pictures - hopefully someone there will know what to tell us - wish us luck?!?
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#203729 - 04/22/08 08:44 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: plants 'n pots]
Pinkhorseofcourse Offline
Wild Willow
Great Gardener


Registered: 04/17/06
Posts: 692
Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio
Gosh.. how very peculiar.. and sad. I am sorry about your fishies.. I know how I felt when the two of mine died. Keep us posted on what you find out!
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#203947 - 04/23/08 04:06 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
loz Administrator Online happy
Big Trouble
Garden Helper


Registered: 05/18/03
Posts: 40459
Loc: Beautiful Western Maryland...z...
Keep us updated Lynne, I'm dying to know what was said.

It's really got to me this topic--just because I love my fish and I'd just cr@p if I walked out and found that in my pond!
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for Cindy to get better!!!!!

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#203954 - 04/23/08 04:38 PM Re: HELP - dead fish!!! [Re: loz]
plants 'n pots Offline
Purl One
Garden Helper


Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 22685
Loc: Rockland County, NY
Well loz, I know how you feel!

The owner of the ponding store said it definitely looks like fish were eating them, and since there aren't any other fish in the pond yet, it looks like Joclyn was correct in that they must have been eating each other - YUCKIEPOO!!!

He also said that if you have comet goldfish in your pond, you don't need any other types of fish to eat mosquito larvae. And rolled his eyes when I told him about the county health dept.'s program of stocking the fathead minnows. Oh, well...
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