I woke up from a Sunday nap to find devastation in my deck pond. And I’m still trying to find out what might have happened.
The 50-gallon whiskey barrel tub with the trickling water can spout has been the home of several goldfish for many years. But when I went out to scoop out the falling leaves and give my fishy friends some food yesterday, three of my six fish were floating dead. And a fourth was at death’s door.
I scooped out the deceased fellows – and discovered they were covered with a slimy white substance. The survivor was slimy as well. But he also had bloody fins and gills.
I felt so sad and he looked really miserable. I put him in a small hospital tank and added some aquatic salt and a bit of stress coat, but he died a few hours later.
Meanwhile, I can’t find the other two fish at all. Eeek!
What could have happened to turn my happy little pond into such a toxic mess? The waterspout had clogged and wasn’t trickling a steady stream of water down onto the pond. But that has happened before with no ill effect. I haven’t changed water in awhile, so I know the problem wasn’t due to an influx of nasty aqua.
I’m going to take a water sample to my local pet store. But in the meantime, I’m struggling to figure this one out. Any fish doctors out there?
