Disappearing Fish in New Pond

8 years ago

Pond Info:

I recently completed a more or less 500 gallon pond and waterfall in our front yard. I'm definitely new to ponding. This is my first pond, and I have already learned a TON. It took about two weeks, 6-7 hours per day and $700 to build the pond, landscape, and buy fish.

I have no skimmer or UV filter. My biological/mechanical filter is homemade, and is the top basin of the water filter. The bio-media is lava rock. The 3500 gph pump just pumps the water from the pond and through the bio-media in the top basin. I would say the filter itself is probably around 30-40 gallons

After giving the pond three weeks to cycle it now seems to be chemically balanced. The pond probably only receives about two hours of full sunlight in the very late afternoon (5:30-7:30 PM), and algae levels seem to be balanced. I have planted a lily, but it is only just starting to sprout, so the water doesn't have much plant coverage.

Problem:

ANYWAY, I added 4 small (2-3 inch) goldfish yesterday (four comets, one shubunkin). Yesterday, they seemed to be hiding a lot, specifically under the large, flat rock that hides the pump from view. At night they were more active, but today after being gone all morning I can't find a single one! I lifted up the rock covering the pump, but couldn't find any fish there. Upon arriving home, I saw one darting around, but it swam underneath the pump rock and I couldn't find it after that.

Does anybody have ANY idea as to where my fish could be going?

I am worried that they may be getting sucked into the pump and getting stuck in the filter, where they would die and create ammonia spikes. Is that possible?

I haven't seen any cats, birds, or wildlife around the pond at all since introducing the fish.

Or are my fish just hiding in the rocks?

Pictures: (I should take a picture so you can actually see into the water)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw-mTv3CyXVkMUFLNzRTY3VJeUlpeFZtMllwX00zanpDZTVz/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bw-mTv3CyXVkQ3pmd3pMQldobkJHSzJWckZMSnlxRVRYQVFj/view?usp=sharing

Featured Answer

frankielynnsie

8 years ago

They may have died or they are hiding. Is the pump inside something so they can't get sucked into it? Mine is in a plastic milk crate with black mesh zip tied to the sides. Go outside at night and shine a flashlight into the pond and see if you see any fish.

I usually put in 6 or 7 feeders and half of them survive, when I start up a new pond. I always keep them in an aquarium for 4 days and treat for ick before turning them loose. They come with assorted diseases when you get them from any store and they can't treat them because they are sold to feed other fish.

I hope you find a few survivors. If you do-call them and feed them daily and they will come to you to eat very soon. My fish know my voice and come up begging for flake fish food when ever I am talking outside near them. I love my fish and check to make sure they are all there every evening. They are all distinctively marked and are about 6" long. My 2 cats know when I am calling the fish to eat and come running for their little pile of fish food. It is a treat for them every day. I found out they like fish food one day when I set the can down and Bear stuck his whole head in the can and wouldn't let me take it away from him without a struggle. Thank goodness they aren't interested in catching my fish--just a little fish food treat.

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Comments (14)

User
8 years ago
kyle,

If you can see right through the water, so an a predator. Birds eat fish.

Feed them in the morning, you will see how many you have left.

I have one fish left, and my pond isn't see through all the time, those birds have eaten alot of my fish, I am not buying any more. The one I have left is the last one. LOL
User
8 years ago
That is perfect for raccoons and anything else to have a fish buffet. If they haven't found it now they will eventually and it will be easy pickings. Critters can wade into that and get the fish. To avoid that you should always make a pond that drops off a ledge at least 2 feet deep. 3 feet would be better. At 2 feet and a sharp drop off I have no problems with anything catching my fish. And I've caught lots of raccoons trying. But they never get them. No way anything will last long in pond when it's that shallow and that mild of a slope.
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PRO
Kyle Madsen
Original Author
8 years ago
I honestly don't think anything has taken them OUT of the water. The fish have never shown themselves since being put in, let alone come within a foot of the surface of the water. Also, I have NEVER seen raccoons in this city even after living here for seven years. I'm sure they are here, but I have never seen them, even after seeing thousands of deer, turkey, squirrels, birds, porcupines, and rabbits.

My question is, OTHER THAN WILDLIFE, what factors could contribute to my disappearing fish? Maybe they died and sunk into the rocks? Maybe they are hiding in rock crevices?
PRO
Kyle Madsen
Original Author
8 years ago
The pond is 20" deep, although the first six inches around the edge slope from 0-6" and then there is a 12" deep planting ledge. The 20" deep portion of the pond is probably about 30" wide.
PRO
Kyle Madsen
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Also, when I feed them, they don't come up to eat. Even if I CAN see them they don't respond to the food. There is a fine layer of algae across the pond rocks that I am assuming they have been eating.
PRO
Kyle Madsen
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Two of them are alive and well, but very elusive. The other two are either REALLY good hiders (they are calico-colored shubunkins, and camouflage with the pond rock) or they are dead. Thanks for the advice! I appreciate it.
chas045
8 years ago
Just like almost all garden related posts, it would be good to know where you are! And yes, I suspect you might have lost a couple fish to birds. I don't think their small size would cause any chemical issues. Fish naturally hide at first, so they might still be around. Do porcupines indicate warm climate? If not, you may have freezing issues. Plants will really help protect these or future fish. Really beautiful pond; nice work. It will be wonderful after you get some plants established at or near the edges.
PRO
Kyle Madsen
Original Author
8 years ago
I live in Spokane, Washington. this time of year the high is generally 80-95 and the low is generally 50-60.
akarinz
8 years ago
My fish would go into hiding, or play dead at the bottom if they have had a predator after them. Most of the time it was egrets and blue herons. I lost a lot of fish (goldfish and koi) in the beginning, when they were smaller. I have since rebuilt my pond and it is now 4 feet deep. It's a good idea to provide protection for the fish so they can feel that they have a safe place to hide, if need be. I built an overhang that they could go to, if they felt scared.

I should also add that I had to put a cover over my bottom drain/water intake, as the pump was so strong, it was pulling in fish/frogs etc. and killing them.

Karin
Kyle Madsen thanked akarinz
swngdncr
8 years ago
We have two ponds with falls, both with skimmer that hold the pump. Some of the fish will get in the skimmer, and unless we find them right away, they will die in there. The smart ones seem to know to stay away, so what we have left is the skimmer smart fish. ;-)
PRO
Kyle Madsen
Original Author
8 years ago
Success!!! I added four more fish yesterday, and since I have added them to the pond, the other three survivors that were hiding seem to be out and social. I think there were just so few that they hid from each other all day. now they swim I'm little groups and actually come up to eat. I don't want to add any more, though. eight is plenty for 500 gallons
PKponder TX Z7B
8 years ago
That's great news!
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Acorn Ponds & Waterfalls
8 years ago
Very good, I love a story with a happy ending! Nice job on the pond it looks great.

Disappearing Fish in New Pond

frankielynnsie

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