FISH POND TRAGEDY
By marydoll
8 comments
AT Last! I thought the thaw is on and I can check up on the fish without getting dressed as if I was going to the Antartic!
When I looked thru the ice i saw one of my large fish floating! oh no I thought my oldest fish has died on me it was over 20 years old! then to my dismay I saw a couple of frogs, then another fish My grandson and I had to lift and shift the ice to get at the dead fish and frogs to try and let the living ones at least have a chance!
Ive lost the lot and now only have 2 fish left! I was afraid to take them out and realy wasnt sure what to do but I have no idea how long they have been dead as the pond was a nightmare and our temperatures were minus 15 last week!!
So we emptied the pond by approx half and put the filter back in for a few hours and refilled the pond with fresh water! I;m absolutely gutted!
Every night I would go down and fill a dish with boiling water to let the gasses out not sure if just the severe weather. or what. I do know that we had to literally “dig” the snow out of the pond one night as it had completely covered it!
We might have “shocked” the fish when doing that I dont know but I panicked when the snow had filled the pond i was sure the fish would not survive that yet they did and as I say were all living till yesterday. So as u can imagine that is how I spent my new year day !
2 Jan, 2011
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Comments
I have a couple of dead ones too marydoll,don't know if there'll be any more as the pond is still really thick ice, just an area under the bridge thats been kept ice free, all the fish seem to be under there, was talking to a friend the other day who's also lost all his they're just frozen in the ice, must be the extreme weather, such a shame about yours especially the one you've had 20 years, poor things.
2 Jan, 2011
I've now lost 6 old ones [25yrs +] they are stuck in the ice. I suspect they were nearer the top but as the temp dropped very quickly they were unable to swim away and were overcome by it. The ice was 6" at its worst. But sad as it is that is nature.
2 Jan, 2011
Thanks for the comments Och thats a shame to have lost some of ur old fish. Hear I am bemoaning the fact of losing mine! Guess we will have to put down then to the adverse weather conditions. Maybe we could re think what to do next time if this happens again! If anyone has any ideas I'm thinking of trying to get a cover or something to stop the snow filling in but dont think that would be any use because no light or air wouod get in!Stumped! will probably just let nature as u say take its course!
2 Jan, 2011
the snow wont do any harm, after all this is what happens in the wild. The older fish are just more likely to succumb to less Oxygen and the cold. The pond froze like this last year but I had no casualties. I m hoping my tench which is in her 30th year is snug at the bottom of the pond. I'll find out for definite in the spring as I have to do the big spring clean. :o)
2 Jan, 2011
so sorry about your fish marydoll its so upsetting isnt it, iv been lucky up to now but we dont know if the weather will get bad again, iv founds my frog family all dead which is sad to,
3 Jan, 2011
I hope ur tench survives! let us know as soon as u do ,
Yes I was sad when I found my frogs dead just something about them they looked like toys in a way! midswim!
4 Jan, 2011
update the two surviving fish seem to be ok But the wee one is keeping quite near the top!!!
23 Jan, 2011
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I`m so sorry Marydoll, we have had extremely low temps and it is difficult to know what to do for the best, it sounds to me that you tried your hardest, come springtime you will still get more frogs but I can imagine how you felt at the loss of your fish...XX.
2 Jan, 2011