Schooling and spawning
I have a two-part question. First, I have a small pond (1500 gallons or so) heavily stocked with about 30 feeder goldfish. The fish are getting quite large - all appear to be 4-5 inches long, and some are a good bit larger. They've lived together for the past three years, the first two in a much smaller pond (200 gallons). They are exhibiting aggressive mating behavior since the weather got warm. Is my pond getting too small for them? Second question: the two oldest fish are now seven years old, but are still large and active. I didn't think goldfish lived that long. How old can I expect them to get?
Jeff Resta
<Hi Jeff. As a rule of thumb, each goldfish should be given about 30 gallons of water, so by my reckoning 30 x 30 = 600 gallons so you're fine. This assumes the tank is filtered and basically well cared for. You might want to "thin the herd" a little if you find water quality isn't as good as it should be. Sharing good quality, pond-bred goldfish shouldn't be difficult given your fish will be far healthier than anything available in the average pet store. As for age, the oldest goldfish known are around 30 years of age. So yours are a ways off drawing their pensions just yet! Cheers, Neale>

Goldfish, koi, turtles and ponds  7/8/07
We have two comets, which are survivors from last year's pond fish in our (new) "small" pond. We had an unusually cold winter and the pond froze over, these were the only two to survive the first month of  winter.
<... have you learned from this experience?>
These comets are 4 and 5 inches long and have been living in a 30 gallon indoor tank since we rescued them from the nearly solidly frozen pond.
<Ahh!>
We also have a very large pond/small lake where it's way too deep to freeze solid. When we moved in it already had a full complement of carp (up to 3' long), koi (up to 2' long) and adult 14" comets. There are also some turtles in there, I don't know what kind they are, they have red stripes on the sides of their neck/head. The largest are about 6" across.
<Okay...>
We've been having problems with raccoons in my small pond, they ate all the new comets I put in there (they think it's their private sushi bar),
<Heee! It is... and splash bath>
and shredded most of my pond plants. So I haven't put my comets back in their pond, I put in some little mosquito fish instead, with their small size and less flashy coloring they do much better escaping from the raccoons.
<Good>
How big do my comets need to be before they have a reasonable chance of survival in the big pond with the big fish and turtles?
<Mmm, should be fine as they are now...>
I can't buy a larger tank for them, I don't have room for one!
<I see>
My other option is to put them up for adoption at one of the local pet stores, but I can't control who gets them and what the new owners do with them. The last thing I want is for these survivors (who earned a long life!) is to end up as food for a piranha.
Jean
<I would place them in your "lake" when the water temperature there is about the same as the tank. Cheers, Bob Fenner>

Question, Pond goldfish health, beh.  – 07/03/07
Hi, I am extending the size of my garden pond and, rather than buy new goldfish, I took some spawn earlier this year. Many of the goldfish fry have grown quickly and are extremely healthy. Some aren't... I have two questions and really, I guess I know the answer but here goes:
<OK, I'll try!>
1. Two of the fry (8 weeks old) have difficulty swimming. They spend considerable time on the gravel with short burst of activity to move. They are currently in an aquarium with no natural predators. Am I cruel not to put them out of their misery (are they in misery?).
<Tough call. Personally, I think fry that "don't make the grade" should be destroyed painlessly. The risk is further inbreeding, where the mutant genes get passed on to the next generation. So it makes sense to remove the bad genes from your stock of goldfish, and periodically add new fish to add genetic diversity. If, of course, the goldfish in question live in a tank and aren't going to breed, this doesn't matter. It's then your call. The only thing to consider is if the fish are clearly unable to do goldfish things, like swim about in a school or root about the bottom.>
2. One fish (Dave) truly is a fighter. He has a spinal deformity and only one eye. To make it worse he has a huge air bubble in his belly and the stomach seems to stretch around this bubble. He is extremely active and seems happy enough. Two other fish have the same air bubbles but as they do not have the other "challenges" that Dave suffers I am not so concerned. Is there anything that can be done to encourage him to expel the air (is this even possible?). Again, am I being cruel letting him live?
<Again, your call. The air bubble problem is probably a swim bladder deformity. Goldfish are "physostomous" fish, meaning that they cannot inflate their swim bladder. Baby goldfish have to swim to the surface, gulp some air, and fill the bladder thus. As they grow, they gulp more air. If the baby goldfish cannot swim properly, it cannot make that first dash to the surface, so cannot inflate the swim bladder. I think that's the problem here. Not fixable. Personally, I'd destroy these fish as they're never going to have a very easy time of things.>
Thanks
Jon
<Cheers, Neale>

Goldfish in a stock tank – 06/26/07
I recently got a stock tank that holds 250 gallons of water for my horse. We have about 15 fish in there now. I have fan tail goldfish and little 29 cent feeder fish to help cut down on the algae and things I feed them every other day and they all seemed very healthy and happy.
<Greetings. There is really no such thing as a "feeder fish". When you buy feeder fish, what you are buying are intensively farmed goldfish maintained in appallingly bad conditions: overstocking, few water changes, poor filtration, minimal healthcare if any at all. That's why they cost pennies. The insanity of the whole thing is that these fish are positive time-bombs of disease, shuffling bacteria and parasites between themselves, and yet people buy them to feed other, more "valuable" predatory fish! Net result is a vast number of predatory fish that become needlessly sick because people (presumably through ignorance though maybe stupidity) buy these goldfish as live food. Utterly incomprehensible. Thankfully, the practise is effectively non-existent in the UK, but in the US, sadly, it is still widespread.>
They love to nibble at my fingers when I feed them. I took a trip, I left on Saturday and came back Sunday. I got home in the evening and fed the fish and while I was feeding them I noticed one off to the side not wanting to eat. So I fetched my net and a pan and fished it out thinking it could be pregnant.
<Goldfish don't get pregnant. They lay eggs.>
I kept it in the house and checked on it and it was sitting on the bottom with its tail towards the surface. Then when I checked on it in twenty minutes it was on its side at the bottom. I tired to move it to where it could swim, it tried but eventually died. The fishes body was swollen and its scales were sticking out. I read about this on-line and I looked at the pictures I believe it is Dropsy.
<Sounds very likely. Very, very difficult to treat because it can be caused by a variety of things. Providing optimal water conditions and using antibiotics *can* help, but often the damage is too far gone and the animal is best destroyed painlessly. Anyway, see here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/dropsyfaqs.htm >
I am however worried about my other fish... They do have to live in a bit of a dirty environment... is there anyway I can treat my other fish before they get sick?
<Well, obviously this has to be a two-step operation. You need to establish first what the water quality in the pond is like. There really should be a filter, though understocked ponds with lots of plant growth can work fine without filters (obviously, this is what happens in the wild!). Second, you need to remedy any water quality problems if they exist. So, do some water tests. If you don't want to buy a bunch of test kits, then many retailers will do the tests for you. Here in the UK they usually charge around £1 a go. You want to do nitrite, nitrate, pH, and hardness. For goldfish, you want nitrite = 0, nitrate = less than 50 mg/, pH around 7.5 and certainly not less than 7, and hardness has to be "moderately hard" to "hard" on whatever scale you are using. Adding medications to the aquarium without establishing the basic level of water quality is pointless.>
It was one of the feeder fish with this problem.
<Entirely possible for the reasons outlined above, but water quality walks lockstep with disease. In good water conditions, the immune system of fish helps them fight off disease (just as people a more likely to get sick when ambient conditions are poor). In poor water conditions, fish will get sick regardless of whether or not you had feeder fish in the pond. If water conditions are really bad, the fish will be poisoned, and organ failure leads to death. Cheers, Neale>

Goldfish population control in a pond   4/19/07
Hello Crew,
<L's>
You have helped me many times with my saltwater tank and now I have a pond question.  I have a pond about 3000 gallons, 26ft x 16ft in the Chicagoland area.  The entire pond 'floor' is covered with larger granite stones and it  is about 4 years old.  It is stocked with about 12 Koi of various sizes (5"  to 14") and several varieties of Goldfish.  
My problem is that when I first installed the pond years ago I impatiently ran to the pet store and bought 24 feeder goldfish and put them in.  Most  died off in the first few weeks but many survived and are about 6" in  size.  Last year they began to reproduce and now I have many, many unwanted  goldfish in my pond.  I have tried in vane to net them during feeding time  and other times to no avail.  
<Been t/here... tried that>
Is there a way to control these small fish or capture them?  I  wondered if the introduction of a predatory fish temporarily (i.e. one large  mouth bass) until they were gone could do the trick.
Thanks for any advice
<Mmm... the only way to do what you're looking to accomplish is to drain this pond, move all the desired fishes... discard, give away, sell the non-desired. On the plus side, this dumping/cleaning is likely timely... with the warming weather... a good idea to get in there, remove the stones and gunk around them... once a year or so... Do take care to save a good deal of the "old" water, return it with the desired livestock. Bob Fenner>

Re: Timid Koi/Goldfish hybrid  9/6/06
Thank you for the swift and useful reply
<Welcome>
Our koi goldfish hybrid and three goldfish seem to be doing well. The three goldfish now explore the pond during the day, after a period of hiding near the bottom. However, the black silver koi/goldfish hybrid are nowhere to be seen during the day.
<Interesting>
During night, the lights in the pond turn on and the koi/goldfish swim with the other goldfish, just as actively. I was wondering, why do the koi/ goldfish hybrids refuse to swim during the day?
<Perhaps there is something in the way of their coloring and "perception" re being predated... that is, maybe these fish can tell they may be detected during the day by predaceous birds, other animals>
They were swimming in schools at the tank we bought them from, and were in a pond before that. They appear to be healthy and active, but active only at night. They are much harder to detect during the day because of their color (look almost like shadows, only clearly seen when going over a goldfish for example), but we are sure they hide somewhere during the day.
<Again, curious... perhaps with time, acclimation they'll come out more during daylight hours. Bob Fenner>

Re: Timid Koi/Goldfish hybrid  9/6/06
Thanks once again for the reply
<Welcome>
I had thought that perhaps as these Koi/Goldfish hybrids are similar to wild carp in coloration and shape, they might have more of an instinct for avoiding predation. However, the fish are far more camouflaged than the easily visible goldfish.
<Yes... have seen a few "studies" demonstrating this>
Even at night, when in clear view of a strong light, they are all but impossible to discern from rocks (silvery flashes and passing over the goldfish is the only time they are really visible).
Have you encountered this phenomenon yourself?
<Oh yes... a common phenomenon on this planet... "counter-shading"... Bob Fenner>

Mixed Koi and Goldfish... chasing beh.   7/31/06
I have a pond with 9 koi and 7 comet/Sarasa/shubunkin.  The large shubunkin chases all the fish with it's head at the others anal fin. Is this fish being territorial, trying to mate, or just being an aggressor?
<Mostly the middle, but likely a bit of the others as well>
We are not sure if we should remove it from the pond or if this is normal behavior.
What is your advice?
<Moving the aggressor if apparent damage is being done. Might be able to be re-joined when the weather starts cooling down... Bob Fenner>

Goldfish attack!   7/2/06
Hi,
Just before Christmas a Heron ate most of my goldfish in my garden pond.  All that was left was a small Koi and a couple of fairly large goldfish.
<Happens>
This Spring I introduced replacements, quite small Koi carp, goldfish and   shubunkins. Everyone seemed to be getting on ok, but now the largest of the  
goldfish has started attacking one small shubunkin and one small Koi.
<Also... unfortunately>
It has quite literally eaten the tails of both down to the roots and I fear they will not now survive.
How can I stop the big goldfish eating the smaller fish?
<Move or destroy this fish>
The pond is currently besieged by tadpoles but I can't see this as a factor?
<Me neither>
There is plenty  of space in the pond for all the fish.
Appreciate any help you may be able to offer.
Many thanks
ADS
<There are just some "mean", rogue individuals... "Mad dogs" and goldfish... Bob Fenner>

Need Help!!! Oranda in a koi pond, I know it's serious...  6/20/06
Hi,
My grandmother has a 5" Oranda in a koi pond, she discovered it a few minutes ago with its wen in shreds, and mostly missing, fungus all over its body  
and its fins all shredded. She says it looks like its been through a meat grinder!
<Yeeikes!>
I told her to put it in a spare 10 gallon there, but she is elderly and unable to set up the tank. What can she do medical wise?
<Salt/s are best here>
It is her favorite fish; what can we do?
<Move it, indoors as you've mentioned...>
As of now it is sitting in a pot, treading water. It is a large pond, but she has fungicide and salt on hand, as well as "heals all".
What  can she do?
PLEASE HELP!
Thanks,
Anthony
<Please have her read: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshdisease.htm
Orandas don't do well in ponds in general... can't compete with other goldfish types/breeds for food, reproduction... or other coldwater livestock, predators... Bob Fenner>

Orandas in Ponds  6/5/06
Hi,
Great site!     
I have two questions:
1.  Can Orandas be kept in ponds with koi, catfish, and single  finned goldfish?
The Orandas are 5-8", the koi are 8-24", the  single tailed goldfish are 8", and the catfish are 10", 14", 18". Right now the  three Orandas are in a 55 gallon tank, and are beginning to outgrow it.
<Mmm, not a good risk... the chubbier varieties of fancy goldfish take a beating when mixed with these likes. Can't compete/move for food...>
2. Also, can these be kept in the pond during the  winter? I live in New Jersey.
Thanks,
Anthony
<Mmm, again, not worth trying IMO. Bob Fenner>

Bringing Orandas indoors from pond in cold weather  12/13/05
I have a 750 gal. pond.  Since it has gotten cold here  I decided  to bring my two Orandas inside.
<Good>
The weather has been dropping into the  30s.
<Best to bring fancy goldfish indoors once the water dips and stays below about 65 F>
Anyway, I brought them in and put them into a 29 gal. aquarium.   New rock, a new Penguin 150 BioWheel power filter.  A few plants from the  pond went in also.
<Good>
   I used some of the pond water to fill the  aquarium and tap water that I dechlorinated. Three days later, I smell what  smells like male cat urine. I know it is ammonia but its not a strong  ammonia smell.  But its def. there.  I never noticed that smell before  with an aquarium.  the fish are each approx. 5 inches long.
<Need more room...>
very fat  and very healthy looking. Did great in the pond.   There is absolutely  no visible waste in the aquarium at this time.   Is this filter  
ok?  
<If it's "working" biologically, yes>
Should i
<Please "I">
give it more time to establish?
<... you need to test your water for ammonia, nitrite...>
I don't have a  test kit.  
<I'd get one>
Never used one before on our other aquariums.  Never  noticed that smell either.  
Please advice.
<Advise>
  Also, should i even  have brought them in.
<Yes>
  The water temp had gotten into the 40s.   I was just worried about them.  If i leave them in the pond next winter,  will they be ok and what precautions do i use to keep them ok in the cold  weather.  
Filter?
Survive in cold pond?
water quality?
Thank you so much for whatever advice you can give.
colleen Fontenot
<Posted on WWM, for Freshwater Goldfish... Bob Fenner>

Dumbfounded by a Goldfish Pond 10/15/05
Help please!! I have a goldfish pond in my backyard and I am dumbfounded!! 
My first question is: How in the world do I tell if it is female or male? I do know about the white (pimple like) spots. They won't hold still for me to see.
<These small whitish bumps on the operculum of a mature male are difficult to see even when the fish is in an aquarium.... you likely won't be able to see them in a pond.>
So far I have not seen any. I do have 4. The two in question I think are in love. One is a bright colored reddish orange with a short tail and the other is a dull orange with a long tail. Also they go in circles and foamy stuff is on the surface. Are they mating? The long tail is about 7" long and the short tail is 6". Now they are chasing the smallest long tailed one around. why? 
Thanks for answering my questions. Lisa
<This all sounds like normal social and courtship behaviour of goldfish. Though I cannot tell you definitively who might be male or female, typically a male will chase females, and to a lesser extent other males. Females don't do a whole lot of chasing. Wishing you well, -Sabrina>

Re: large-ish man-made pond in NY, pt.2. Corrected - Or! An Orfe is an Orfe of Courfe, of Courfe 10/11/05
Dear Mr. Fenner,
I wrote you earlier today about my two-foot long goldfish, who lives in my 80' by 40' by 12' deep spring-fed pond. I'm wondering if he is really a goldfish. He's medium gold in color, torpedo-shaped but has no barbels, and also does not have the classic koi shaped  head.
When he goes for the food on the surface, he snaps it aggressively out of the water and speeds off or dives like a whale, making a great deal of splashing. What is this guy? (I call him "Mr. Big.")
Maxine Paetro, Amenia, New York
<At this size, and the type of behavior you list, my guess is that this is a cross between a goldfish (which itself is a cross) and carp/koi, Cyprinus carpio.... sometimes called "orfes". Happens. Bob Fenner>

Pond Comet behavior at feeding time...  9/12/05
I looked long and hard on your Web pages and found nothing that answered this question.
I have (3) 3" pond comets in an outdoor 90 gallon pond. It has a 300 GPH pump driving a fountain and water fall for aeration. Everything seems fine.
the fish move about through the day and nibble at the algae at the bottom of the water fall. They push the water plants (water lettuce and one water Hyacinth) around an I think they nibble the lowest leaves. All that to say that I think my pond (installed for 3 months) is healthy.
When I feed my fish floating fish pellets - they gobble the 3 pinches in the prescribed 3 to 5 minutes. But during and after the feeding they kinda go nuts. The swim around very fast and nudge each other mostly in the midsection. Do I have any worry?
<Mmm, no>
The actions could be aggressive of they might be matting type of ritual. I have no idea. Can you give me any input??
Ron
<Very likely "just" displacement behavior... not a worry. Bob Fenner>

Bringing Outdoor Fish In - 09/08/2005
This spring, I set up a 16 gallon outdoor "pond" that has 3 small common goldfish in it.  
<As they grow, they'll need a larger space.>
Everyone seems to be doing well and they have been a great source of entertainment.  
<Wonderful creatures, aren't they?>
My question:  at what temperature do I bring the goldfish indoors?  
<If you plan to keep them in through the winter, I would recommend that you bring them in well before the water reaches 55 degrees F.  Preferably a little closer to the room temperature of the place they'll be living for the winter.>
In West Tennessee we don't get many hard freezes until January, but I want the little darlings to live and do well.  
<They will....  Very hardy fish.>
BTW, I've really enjoyed your website and your learned advice and sometimes caustic comments.  
<Yee-IKES!>
Ya'll are a hoot.
<Thanks much for the grin!>
Ramona
<Wishing you well,  -Sabrina>

Goldfish color change, no longer constipated koi in pond  8/27/05
Hi Bob,
<Irene>
One more question, if I may. Do you know what kind of fish would go from a 3" charcoal gray little thing to an 8" pure golden orange fish in under two months?
<Happens>
The metamorphosis was so drastic! He started getting lighter on the belly, then developed a dark gray and orange pattern on his body, almost like snakeskin, and then turned completely orange/gold. The last place to turn color was the ridge at the top of the body  (just beautiful! ). And a very friendly little guy - would come to me when I put my hand in the water, hover right  under my hand, and then let me slip my hand under his belly and hold him for a few seconds. He would then swim off, make a turn and come back under my hand and let me hold him again.  I suspect the egg from this fish was transported via Eichornia roots from a pond store that sells the usual ornamental pond fish. Everybody says it's probably in the comet family, but the rapid and total color change and fast growth seemed to confuse the issue.
<Again, does happen>
Still mystified in RI by my own pond, but somewhat less so since your clarification that my koi was constipated :) He/she is doing well, by the way, happily munching fish pellets and goo in the pond, and playing with the other fish. No more big belly!
Thanks again. Cheers!
<Ah, good. Bob Fenner>

Moving goldfish indoors for winter 8/17/05
Help me....... please,
               I'm losing sleep and winter's comin.  We have a wonderful garden pond that has roughly 20 large goldfish, 6 shubunkin, and 15 multi colored babies that survived the breeding and eating season.  I've come to the realization that I have to bring all of them inside to enjoy over the long Minnesota winter.  Would either 2 150 gallon or a single 300 gallon tank see them through the winter?
Joann
<Yes... depending on how "large" is large, about this volume should do... you might save some money by looking for Rubbermaid troughs... and investigating filtration for these on WWM. Bob Fenner>

Re: Pond Goldfish behaviour 7/5/05
Thanks very much for your reply.  I found the credit note from the water company when we had to have the concrete pond relined with a butyl liner as it had cracked (September 2003) and I found I reclaimed for 35metres3 not put back into the sewage system.
<A good note... in the States we also can at times realize such a saving from notifying our water/sewage service provider>
Add to that the contents of 2 x 45 gallon containers, one large fish tank and a paddling pool (for the marginals) I think that works out a pond approx 7,800 gallons, am I about right?  
<Mmm, 35 cubic meters of water is about 9,409 gallons...>
About a hundred goldfish (although most of them have bred black).  I have ordered a solar powered oxygenator to help things & use barley straw in old tights (last added about three weeks ago) but I guess 2 and half inches of rain the other day really upset my systems. Although I have to confess I was in there the week before taking out some weed!  At the moment I am just spraying the water a little each day to add oxygen.
<All good techniques>
The fish seem to be okay but after looking through your web site I am resolved to feed them less often than the several times a day they have got into the habit of begging for.
It's a great site - I have learnt so much from looking at it.
Cheers
Angie Watts
<Thank you for your kind words, caring and sharing your experiences. Bob Fenner>

Sarasa comets
I have been reading a lot about Sarasa comets and backyard ponds on the net, but they all seem to be man-made ponds. I have a 60feet by 30 feet pond in my back yard. fresh water flows in over a water fall (about 3 feet high) and flows out over another waterfall (about 1 foot high). I have 12 Sarasa comets that I put in last summer, any suggestions on making the pond a good home for them? My e-mail address is XXXX. I would love to hear from you. Thanks Lisa
<What I know is posted on WWM. Read there. Bob Fenner> 

Are They Spawning? Goldfishes on the Make
Hello,
I have 2 fantails and a comet in a large clawfooted bathtub outside, planted with water lilies, oxygenators, and marginal plants. Used to be 3 comets and 3 fantails, but our neighbor's cat had lunch, so I have added hiding places for the fish.
<<More likely fishing birds or other wildlife, but the end result and prevention are the same/same in this situation.>>
We have a filtered pump running the water through a spout, creating a large splash area on the edge of the tub. All the fish have been very active. I lost one fish last week - the fantails were ganging up on him, and I think he died of exhaustion (no bite marks). I have since introduced seven pet store goldfish, and they have been getting along very well.
But yesterday noticed that all the goldfish were 'riding' the waterspout like a ride at an amusement park. The just face upstream, and swim over the splash, and then go around again and again.
<<Sounds like fun!>>
The pond is relatively new, and I have not done the ever important water testing, as the water is clear and until yesterday, behavior looked fine.
<<Water clarity is NEVER an indicator of its healthfulness for aquatic life. E.g. swimming pool. How long would our goldfishes last in a crystal clear swimming pool? About as long as it takes for the Muriatic acid and chlorine to kill them, which ain't long at all.>>
Testing is now on my urgent list. I am afraid to raise the water level (we have had a little evaporation) because I don't want them to accidentally jump out. 
<<Cover with shade netting or similar.>>
I know that it is good weather for 'fish love', and from your website, I see that water
quality may be an issue, but is there anything else that I may have missed that could cause them to jump like this?
<<All sorts of things find love is in the air this time of year, as well as your fishes. Are they flashing? Gilling rapidly? Do you have dragonflies and/or water bugs? Dragonfly nymphs are nasty little predators, do NOT ever let yourself be nailed by one, they hurt. Watch for other signs of disease here. Oh, a collar around the tub might be helpful. If they appear to be gasping for air, gulping at the surface, then their preference for the area around the fountainhead could indicate poor oxygen saturation. Know also that a raised tub like this will heat up QUICKLY, if you can find a way to prevent this it will be better for your fishes in the long term. Rockwork, filling the area with potted plants will help a great deal with this issue.>>
They look like they are playing, but if they are in distress, I want to fix it.
Thanks, Grace
<<Watch more closely, expect die-off from the recent additions, have a hospital (kiddie pool) handy if need be, as well as rock salt in case any treatment is necessary. Otherwise, I believe they're fine at this point. Marina>>  

Goldfish/Koi in Mud Pond and Dirty Birds
Hi Robert,
<Wendy>
We had a pond dug last summer, it's about 20x60 by 30 ft deep at the deepest. It filled with ground water and a slightly underground stream/run off feeder in maybe 2 months during the hottest part of the summer (so I feel pretty comfortable it has fresh water supply). A couple weeks ago we released ~40 goldfish and when no "floaters" happened we got perhaps 80 more goldfish and 3 very small koi. This morning I found 1 dead goldfish (I'm not very worried about that. one of the bag of fish releases was not very gentle - my 4 yr old!).  The goldfish definitely look bigger already.
<I'll bet!>
I'm wondering now if we have overstocked this pond. Do you have any feedback/recommendations for us?
<Not overstocked... as of yet... but these fishes will reproduce... perhaps crowd themselves in time. I do hope, trust the water does not overflow from this basin into outgoing waters...>
Lastly, my husband saw an adult duck w/some ducklings the other day, but our dog scared them off into the bushes. I hear they might eat some of the fish?
<Not ducks no, some ducks will eat small/er fishes>
Any info you have is greatly appreciated!
Thanks, Wendy Armstrong
<Congratulations on your new pond. A few years hence you may want to consider the introduction of a few predators (catfish, sunfishes) for balance. I would keep the waterfowl life to a minimum... very "dirty", disease (for humans as well) carriers. Bob Fenner>

Tench n goldfish
Hi I was just wondering if my medium sized tench would eat smallish goldfish. my family are bored of their indoor goldfish so I was wondering if they would be ok in the outdoor pond, we have also got a nice sized carp, 2 ghost carps and two medium sized goldfish, thanks for your help. jo, (Greater Manchester) England
<Both these minnow/cyprinid species lack actual teeth, and are largely herbivorous... but will eat smaller fishes if they are small enough and sufficiently enough. Bob Fenner>

Pond Goldfish
I recently bought 3 goldfish to restart my pond for the spring. I had them for about a week and two of them disappeared and one is just hiding at the bottom of the pond under a leaf. 
<Possibly stress induced. I would say acclimating, but a week is a long time for a fish to adjust. It's not unheard of, though.>
I was thinking that it was still too cold..
<A very real possibility. If it is below 60 you may want to move the fish to a warmer place.>
... or maybe it's pregnant. 
<A very real impossibility. Goldfish are egglayers, and do not technically get pregnant. Even so, with livebearing fishes such as Mollies, Platies, and Guppies, lethargy does not usually accompany pregnancy.>
But that doesn't explain where the other two went. 
<Predators? Died? Hiding? So many possibilities.>
Can you give me some insight on goldfish behavior in a pond? I'm kinda new to this!
<Well, here are a few links on goldfish, read them over and see if they do not answer your questions.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshsystems.htm 
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfishsysfaqs.htm 
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshsysfaq2.htm 
http://www.petlibrary.com/goldfish/goldfish.html 
Best of luck, Mike G>
Sincerely,
Morris Porter 

My crazy goldies
I have roughly around 20(?) goldfishes currently living in a pond in my backyard. I've had them for about 7 years. when we first got them, they lived in a tank and nothing weird happened. Then we transferred them to a pond and they've lived there for about 4 years. Now, I am starting to think they are turning feral as my goldfishes have started nibbling and attacking each other for no apparent reason. 
I dismissed this at the start thinking it was "normal" but recently their golden/white/orange scales have started turning black. I'm not sure if its because of the water or because it's evolving. I'm too scared to take them out of the pond and possibly clean them as I'm too scared it's a disease and I'll catch it (I know, very paranoid). What can I do? Without dying?
Yours sincerely
Hiratio Saka 
<This time of year, the fish are likely interacting vigorously due to reproductive drives... The color change could be nothing, but I would monitor water quality, keep up with your regular water changes. Bob Fenner>

Bringing fish indoors
I have recently lost three pond fish. They were large and healthy, but I believe that the extreme changes in our weather here killed them.
<Does happen, particularly in systems that have wide temperature changes in turn... are too small in volume, too shallow, not placed away from thermal influences>
I have since brought the remaining five smaller fish indoors. I have them sitting in bowls in my floor right now because I need to clean out the aquarium that I borrowed. The problem is that the aquarium didn't come with a filter or anything, and I am clueless about taking care of these fish indoors.
<Same as aquariums period. Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/gldfshsystems.htm>
I have never had so many, and I wouldn't even know what type of filter to buy or even if they need one. I have 2 black moors, 1 calico fantail, 1 goldfish, and 1 Koi. please tell me what to do. I just didn't want them to die, but now I feel like I have made a mistake by bringing them inside.
Thank You, Stacy
<Read, make a list of possible purchases... act. Bob Fenner>

Goldfish dilemma
Hello
<Hi there Lukas>
I have a question about gold fish and their survival outside. My in-laws have a large pond in there back yard and we were all wondering if we could place some gold fish in to it and leave them in there over winter?   They are not Koi.   How ever I have been told that a lady that my mother in law knows keeps gold fish and koi out side all winter and does not house them in side at all.  I also have to mention that they live just out side of Calgary Alberta.  So it does get quite cold out there.
<Does the pond freeze all the way to the bottom? If it is deep enough, perhaps protected from the elements... Please read here: http://wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/pdmaintwint.htm>
My other question is I have just bought 4 small clown loaches and I have been told that they will eat snails.  I have 2 rather large rams horns in my tank and I kind of want them gone.  They have been happily munching and destroying my plants.  So now  for the question will these loaches eat the rams horns?
<Very likely so. May take some time due to the relative size of the prey, predators>
I also wanted to say good work on the site I use it every time I have a
dilemma with my fish, and manage to get an answer with out emailing you guys.
Lukas
<Be chatting, Bob Fenner>

Goldfish attack!
we have a series of large ponds with comets in each pond, usually all get along fine. last week all of the  fish in the largest pond started "ganging up" on one fish and seemed to be trying to push it out of the water. It 's a n average sized fish in the pond ( neither the smallest or the largest) . I captured the fish under attack and moved it to another pond and it is fine with the other fish. Today, the fish in the large pond seem to be after another fish. we have had the ponds for a year, and haven't experienced this problem before, do you have any ideas?
thanks
Sheridan
<Very likely your fish are engaged in a bit of reproductive behavior. You can diminish this by removing any sort of floating, filamentous breeding material... or you may be forced to remove the males (chasing party) or female/s (chased). Bob Fenner>

Mysterious dead pond goldfish
Hi,
I've read all of the questions posted and none are quite the same. I have a 2000 gallon pond, with a 1600 gal/hour filter, biofilter 4000, skimmer, and a U.V. clarifier.  I have a huge water lily, 3 oxygenators, and 4 marginal plants, which are all doing very well, as well as a waterfall that runs continuously.  The pond has been up and running since early May.  I have bought goldfish on 4 occasions, and the same thing happens to them.  I put them in, in the afternoon, they swim around all evening, and by morning they are floating.  I've tried feeders, shubunkins, and comets.  I've had my water tested for PH, nitrates, and ammonia, and the levels are all normal.  I can't for the life of me figure it out.  I've had fish for 18 years and this has never happened before.  We just redid the pond this spring using slate and I'm wondering if that could be the problem.  Any suggestions?
Sincerely,
Penny King
<Something is definitely amiss here... as in chronically toxic to fish, but not plant life... Either a chemical poisoning source or perhaps an electrical one... Re this last, there are ways to test your water for "electrical leaks"... I do hope your pump, UV are wired through or plugged into a GFCI or GFI protected outlet/breaker... If not, take care to NOT put your body, even hand in the water. The poison part I'd like to test by removing some of the water... to an aquarium or kiddie wading pool, placing some of the new fish there and see what ensues... maybe the slate is leaching something toxic... perhaps there is another source like insect spray... Please respond back to me re these issues. Bob Fenner>

Goldfish follow-up 27 Aug 2004
We've been using an extension cord to run both the smaller pump and the main waterfall pump but they lay in the middle of the grass; not a real good idea to have them running when the sprinklers for the grass are running.  Since last week, I haven't had any of the fish die (knock on wood) at this point. All levels that I can test with the testing kit are still showing either 0 for the Nitrate and Nitrite and in the Ideal range for everything else. <That's good to know.> Still have issues with the hard water, but I'm not sure what I can do about that.  
My lily hasn't bloomed yet and I'm not sure that it will this year.  I winter it in a plastic bag as the instructions that came with the plant indicated; it didn't get put into the pond until mid- to late June; maybe next year I'll get the chance to see some flowers. <It may still bloom, some are very late bloomers.>
I haven't bothered trying to feed the flake any longer; why put something into the water that will just decompose if it doesn't get eaten. <Bravo!> I even make sure that whatever koi pellets don't get eaten get skimmed from the pond, too. <Very nice> I'm really trying to make the pond a nice habitat for all the fish; seems like the goldfish are getting HUGE though. <They will fast and then they will breed.>  Guess that'll happen if they're eating koi growth formula pellets, huh?  I haven't seen any chlorine testing kits to know what the chlorine levels may be in the water, so I haven't done anything along those lines.  Again, I haven't had any fish die in almost a week; I think I scooped the last one
out Sunday, to be honest. <That's good to hear I hope you don't have anymore die ever.> I started wondering if things haven't managed to balance themselves out and I just over-populated the pond to quickly. <I think that's really the case.>  I'll never know if I may not have had any problems if I hadn't gotten so overzealous with adding the fish in the first place.  So far, everything seems to be doing okay.  My only problem now, that I'm trying to find a safe way to deal with for both the fish and the lily, is to control the algae that is growing along the sides and bottom of the pond. <That can be a majorly tough thing to do.  There are some commercial things on the market that seem to do well but can hurt the lily so you'll need to make sure before you use it. Good luck, MacL>
Thanks for all your help and suggestions.

Pond goldfish pregnant or diseased?
hello,
<Hi there>
just wondering if you could advise me. we have a pond with around 50 goldfish most of which are very young. Recently (well within the last 2 months) we have noticed that one of the older fish has become bloated.
At first we thought it might be "pregnant" with eggs because we keep seeing new little goldfish all the time! However it doesn't seem to have given birth so we're wondering if it's diseased? It has a good appetite and seems quite happy and joins in the feeding frenzy.
Any ideas would be very welcome and appreciated.
Thanks
Dan and Diana
<Mmm, if it's only one fish affected... seems that some sort of pathogenic complaint can be ruled out... or even trouble with food/feeding... It may be the one fish has what is called "dropsy" or a dropsical condition, but I suspect you are correct in your estimation that it is a female full of roe. If you are concerned that this might be a problem that could spread you might administer Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) at the rate of about a teaspoon per two gallons of water (hope this is not a very large system), or move the one fish to a smaller system and treat it hence... or just wait and see "if this too passes". Likely so. Bob Fenner>

What the.. Where did THESE guys come from??
>I have to say I am rather new at goldfish altogether. I have an outdoor pond, well balanced, and was putting a new pump in when I noticed some new fish in my pond. 
>>Some secret "blessings"?
>I have goldfish, fan tail some of them and I guess a variety of about 12 to 13 in about a 250 gallon pond. 
>>I don't know how long you've had them in the pond, but I have a pond pretty much exactly the same size, and they end up thinning their own numbers (by death) down to a half dozen or so. Btw, the first spring after we set up our little pond the EXACT same thing happened to us. Unfortunately we lost all the fish to furunculosis, it's VERY virulent and terrible.
>I do have some that are solid white and some that are gold and white. Don't know if those are Koi. 
>>Hard to say without seeing the fish, there are MANY fancy goldfishes, and they often come with much white mixed in.
>I noticed 3 new fish from about 2" to about 1" but they are dark, showing no signs of color at this point. Lot's of rocks and plants so I am not sure if there are a few more. I didn't put them there, so I guess somebody was breeding, but am surprised about the color. Is a dark color natural and will they turn another color? Thanks for the help. Van
>>This is actually the original coloration of Carassius auratus x C. goeblio. I would expect the fish to continue changing color over time, but HOW and WHAT colors is a bit of a shot in the dark. If you're interested in learning more about "goldies", try this site (great chat board, too) - http://www.kokosgoldfish.com/breeding.html 
Marina 

Catfish and Goldfish 
I have a 125 gallon outside pond. I have 2 white catfish and they are jumping out of the pond. Can you tell me why? 
<Test the water for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH; usually fish do these things when the water that they're in is unsatisfactory to them.> 
So far, someone has been home to put them back in. My pond has plenty of plants and filtration and the catfish are about 9" long. I have about 9 small goldfish with them. Also, my goldfish are chasing aggressively all the time. They will single one fish out and chase and bump him until he's above the water. 
<Probably most of this is in play or breeding behaviour. Comets/shubunkins will sometimes be a touch aggressive to 'fancy' goldfish, so they're usually not a good mix.> 
I have already taken my fan tail fish out and put them in the house because they were targeted first. Is there something I can do about this? 
<Not really, unfortunately. It's just their nature to be chasey and playful. Keeping the non-fancy goldfish separate from the fancy goldfish is really the best route.> 
I have more fish inside than out. 
<Perhaps you could fashion a divider for the pond? Wishing you well, -Sabrina.> 

Jumping Goldfish 11/03/03 
Hello again, 
<Hi, its Pufferpunk again> 
Thanks for the advice, Pufferpunk. 
<You're welcome> 
I was afraid the decision would hinge on my goldfishes' appetite for platys. I have the platys because my local pet shop couldn't supply guppies for my turtles' menu. I added half the order of platys to the turtle tank and they were eaten within minutes! Too easy a target for even myopic turtles. I have two large red-eared sliders in a separate, in-ground pool, with attached basking area. They are doing superbly. 
<So they can eat the rest of the platys?> 
I've tried to cover the goldfish tank to protect my water lilies from the 
unseemly interest of crows, but the large, upward growth of the Louisiana iris 
rendered that ineffective. I had no idea that koi would jump like mullet! 
<The only other think I was thinking of was to keep a close eye on the water parameters. Although it is a large tank, goldfish emit a high bioload. Some fish will try to leave a tank that has less than perfect water conditions.> 
Thank you for your kind words about the tank. I have enjoyed it, at ground level as well as the view from second-story windows above it.  Thanks so much for your advice and continued success with your valuable site. 
<Thanks for your kind words--Pufferpunk> 

Mystery in a pond, solved.
Hello,
<Hello again!>
Sorry about the late reply.  
<No sweat.>
But we could not get a good picture of our mystery fish because they were very skittish and they really did not have any markings.  The mystery has been solved though.  When they reached about two inches long, they started turning gold.  
<Aha>
I did some more research and found that baby gold fish are dark and then turn gold later.  We now have four new two inch gold fish that we did not purchase.  
<Wonderful little freebies, indeed!>
In my research I also found that spawning can be stimulated by a water change.  Our "pond" is a very large recycled Jacuzzi that was not in working order when we purchased our home.  We dug it up and moved it to the middle of our yard and at that time did a complete water change.  It was only a couple of months after that that we noticed the new fish.  
<Sounds like you found your answer.  Wonderful to hear, and congratulations!!  -Sabrina>
Thanks for your help.  Patricia

- Big Fish in a Small Pond -
<Good morning, JasonC here...>
I have two large fantail goldfish that I have managed, by more luck than judgment, to keep alive for 6 years, they are so big now that I have transferred them to the garden.  They have been outside in a 10 gallon plastic container for a year now (I know, not ideal, but I have a low budget and can't afford all the filters etc...) Anyway, one of the fish developed red streaks in his tail which I treated with fin rot and antifungus treatment 5 days ago, I looked at them both today whilst changing the water (which I do every week because I have no filters) and they both look absolutely awful, their tails and fins are all ragged and have white spots all over them.  They seem happy enough and are eating, but they really do look awful - what have I done? <Well, I must admit, I'm a little confused... are the fish still in the 10g container or are they in larger quarters? In either case, what is most likely the problem is that something is wrong with their environment. Any fish of this age/size can fill it's tank with waste in less than a week. Even if you were changing 100% of the water, these two fish could pollute it soon enough. Your best bet is to run a full course of water tests - ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH - there will be some clues there. Also, it's time for you to spring for some filtration... leaving things up to the fish has produced the problems you have now. Here is some more reading that should provide some background:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/holedispd.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/FWSubWebIndex/fwdis3setsfactors.htm >
I read the FAQ's and saw that someone else mentioned red streaks in the tail and you advised that is was probably septicemia?  Please help - Donna
<Cheers, J -- >

Advice on goldfish in pond
Hi
<Hello>
   I have a newly set up pond of 8ftx5ftx11/2ft.A week ago I purchased 2 large goldfish (about 8 inch) which had come from a pond with very large koi.  I put 1 into my pond and the other into my large tank because it was so beautiful with massive flowing fins and tail. After a week I noticed 1 of the small goldfish nudging it and I felt that it may be better off with more space in the pond. After about 1/2 an hour the other fish that I had bought at the same time started following it side by side. This has been continuing for 2 days. I have separated them from time to time to give it some peace by putting a rigid plastic barrier across the middle of the pond. The fancy fishes tail looks kinked at the end. Are they trying to breed and should I let nature take its course, or am I doing the right thing in separating them for periods. I have been told that sometimes a fish will not release its eggs if the ponds conditions are not right. What happens then? Could the fish die if it is continuously chased? I am a novice and don’t know what to do.
There is also 4 small koi and 4 small goldfish in the pond.
<There are many reasons that could explain the other fish following and bumping it but unless the chasing is extremely aggressive, it’s probably not going to hurt the fish. I would just watch it closely for a while and see if it adjusts. Don’t keep adding the divider, things should settle down on their own soon. Ronni>

Goldfish hatchery
Hi my name is John Butler, and I have a question for you. My question is, I'm planning on starting a goldfish hatchery. I need to know if all varieties of goldfish can be raised in earth ponds? Also, what varieties should I keep together or separate?
<The more common (Comet, Fantail) varieties are bred and reared in earthen ponds, and more exotic ones can be as well if you have mild weather, consistent water quality/temperature in the area you are using. All should be kept separate by sport/variety. Bob Fenner>                                                                    
Sincerely, John Butler

Moving Fish from tank to small pond
Bob,
I currently have 5 goldfish living in a 40 gallon tank. They are all around 4 - 6 inches in length and very healthy. I have a semi planted tank however I am moving to a house where I can have a small (around 400 gallon) pond. I was wondering if there are any issues with moving the goldfish to the pond once I slowly bring the temperature down in their tank (as it is currently at 79 degrees F). 
<You're right... acclimation to temperature change is the biggest obstacle... and all that goes with it... Move them while the weather is still warm/ish... with all their water... even place the water change water in the meanwhile in the pond... to condition the water, establish microbes...>
I live in southern California where the temperature will not fluctuate too much during the winter. Any advice would be great.
<I live in San Diego... some parts are quite cold, but the issue of thermal fluctuation is of more import than a given value. Please read over the pond design, construction materials here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/PondSubWebIndex/Pond%20Sub%20Web.htm to aid you in making the shape of your new pond, filtering same. Bob Fenner>
Cheer,
Vince

Gold Fish Killed
I have a garden pond here in Florida. I put it in almost two years ago. It is around 3000 gallons. There is 50 goldfish in size from 2" to 6".
Last year I had this problem and now it has started again. I never figured out what the problem could be. What it is, several fish will chase one fish and force it up on bank. This will continue until the one they are chasing is totally exhausted and than dies. At first I thought they were spawning or something. 
<it may very well be. The chased fish is typically a larger/more round individual (the female) followed by several slender males>
This happened last year and I lost around eight fish.
It suddenly stopped until a couple of days ago it started again and now I have a dead goldfish. Could you possibly shed some light on what is happening? Thank you, Mike Rhoads
<your pond needs some bushy floating plants or a plastic floating spawning may to entice the female to throw her eggs on a pass during the chase. Else, the chase goes on and she dies. water hyacinth are just one fine example. Kindly, Anthony>

A goldfish by any other name...
Thanks Bob,
What is the difference between a Pond Comet, goldfish and Koi? Is Pond Comet a fancy name for gold fish?
<All Goldfish are the same species (dithered actually, Carassius auratus X C. goeblio)... the "Comet" is a variety (sport mutation), the only one developed (thus far) in the United States... Koi (Nishikigoi) are of the same family (the Minnows, Cyprinidae), different species, genus: Cyprinus carpio... though the same species as "common" carp found in lakes most anywhere humans are. There are crosses (sterile, like the book of y) called Golden Orfes. Bob Fenner>

Dear Rob, Is my pearly fantail goldfish sleepy?
<Anthony Calfo in your service here at WWM>
She (we guess it's a she, as she has red-lipstick lips!) is a new addition to our tank in the last 3 weeks, and since she arrived, she's taken to exhibiting a rather unnerving behaviour. She swims with the other four fish quite happily, and then drifts off to the bottom of the tank, finds a well or dip in the gravel, and then appears to go to sleep! If you call her, she happily jumps awake and comes to the front of the tank to have her belly 'tickled' through the glass, but will then return to the back or corner of the tank, tuck herself into a stone dip and lie completely motionless.
She's feeding just as well as the others, her colour and scales have
improved since we got her, she mixes well with the other fish and she seems to be quite a character, other than the 75% of the day that she lies on the bottom on her own! Is she sick, or just playing with the minds of her new owners?
<ornamental goldfish are plagued with congenital defects from selective breeding for their unique shapes that may even put pressure on the swim bladder and cause such unusual swimming behaviors. It is not curable if so. If the fish however swam fine for quite some time and then evidenced the behavior... you might look towards impaction (especially if given an all dry food diet). You may try a one time dose of Epsom salt at 1 Tablespoon per 10 gallons of tank water and feed high moisture green foods including thawed frozen peas and spinach (small bits at first). Very nutritious foods for goldfish. Kind regards, Anthony>

Is my pearly fantail sleepy? 2 
Oh, dear, Anthony - it's all going pear-shaped here!
<me too if I keep sucking down donuts like they were oxygen!>
Our pearly fantail is now looking very, very sorry for herself. Her dorsal fin is currently laying flat
<not a big deal>
on her back and her pearly scales are getting pinker by the minute,
<OK...a big deal>
especially around her gill covers.
<maintain maximum oxygenation please>
We've isolated her in a salty 'holiday' fish bowl to treat her as you suggested, but she's not interested in the spinach, and floats motionlessly about, her mouth and gills hardly moving.
Is it time to book her a room in the freezer compartment? Hoping not and desperate for advice!
<have faith and please do not euthanize, if at all, unless you see evidence of a virulent or seemingly incurable condition (hemorrhaging and the like). Keep good water quality, daily water changes, add common aquarium salt (NaCl) too at 1 Tablespoon per 5 gallons. Lets hope for the best. Anthony>
Inga

Goldfish Behavior Question
Hello Robert,
<Hello>
My name is Roland Graham and I have a 120 gallon goldfish tank. My question to you is this...Is it normal behavior for goldfish to hang at the top of the water and then go down underwater and appear to be chewing something in their mouths and then appear to be spitting something out of their mouths? 
<Yes, not unusual at all... Goldfishes and most of their kin (the minnows, family Cyprinidae) have a "chewing" apparatus in the way of cartilaginous protrusions on their gill supports... by "mouthing" foods, help to break up, aid digestion>
They occasionally thrash from side-to-side like a shark ripping their prey apart when they exhibit the behavior I stated above. The goldfish also do not exhibit this behavior all of the time. I've spoken with people knowledgeable in goldfish and they can't figure it out.
<Mmm, I may have an advantage here... am writing reviews of goldfish books, and a few articles on their care, biology currently... "Goldfish" on the brain. What you describe is not unusual>
At first, I thought the goldfish had flukes and I did two treatmentswith Droncit over three days. That didn't work. I did some more reading and thought that the goldfish may have a bacterial infection. I then gave them 3 injections of Baytril spaced a day apart. That didn't work either. I then purchased a microscope and looked at both gill scrapes and body scrapes. I found no flukes or other organisms.
<Ah, a thorough approach.>
My water quality is excellent. I test all parameters with Hach dip strips. I have 2 AquaMaster 600 filters equipped with Cell-Pore substrate. I have a UV Filter and I have a couple of airstones with the largest Rena Air Pump available.
<Sounds very nice. A good-sized system, with adequate filtration, aeration.>
I believe that I am doing everything right, but to me the behavior my fish are exhibiting does not seem right. 
Thanks,
Roland Graham
<Thank you for writing. I would do nothing extraordinary here. Bob Fenner>

Help with a Constipated Gold Fish
Hi Robert,
<<Not actually Robert, but Jason filling in while Bob is away diving.>>
Mike Kobert recommended I contact you as I seem to have a problem with one of my goldfish.
I have a 50 gallon hex tank with a split tail fancy gold fish, a red cap and a junior black moor. The gold fish and red cap are very large.
A couple of months ago I changed food and my very large black moor started to swell up. I discontinued food and researched problem. He apparently was constipated or had dropsy (sp?)
Anyway, I se up a hospital tank with the Epsom salt treatment per the book recommendations. The moor eventually died. <<I am sorry to hear this.>>
Now my Gold fish (very large) is swollen and I haven't seen him poop for weeks. <<uh oh...>>
Do you recommend any other course of action besides he Epsom salt treatment. <<have a recent account from another reason who had a similar problem with his clownfish. His solution was to add fish-oil to the food. You might want to try this.>> It didn't seem to work for the moor. <<No, it didn't did it, but unfortunately this type of problem can only go on for so long before it will kill the fish, so the Epsom salts may have come a little too late.>> Do you think I should try to manipulate (squeeze) the blockage out? <<not unless you are very familiar with the fish's physiology - no guarantee you won't squeeze something in the wrong direction.>> I am at a loss and we have had him for a few years - hate to see him go to fish heaven! <<It would be unfortunate to be certain. Do try the fish-oil.>>
Mike says your the man when it comes to goldfish. I'd really appreciate any advise you can give me. <<hope that's helpful.>>
Thanks!
Ted Burgess
<<You are welcome - Cheers, J -- >>

Re: goldfish -friend of mike Kobert
Thanks Jason!
<<Ahh, you are quite welcome.>>
We'll give the fish oil a try>
<<Do let us know how it goes.>>
Ted
<<Cheers, J -- >>

Urgent advice needed (goldfish bloat "disease")
Dear Robert
I have a black Ryukin, less than a year old. About 3 weeks ago, it started swimming sideways, I changed the water, tried feeding it peas. But the condition remained the same. I have used fin rot medicine for treating its fin which was looked like it was having fish rot. The fin improved, but he remained bloated.
Lately I noticed there was a small white spot on its bloated belly (exposed to the air), and a red spot beneath scales. I was prescribed Azoo, an antibacterial powder, by the fish hobbyist shops. My Ryukins condition did not improve, but lately I noticed the red spots looked like internal bleeding under the scales. What should I do? I am really desperate, as I am new in this. Thanks.
Adeline
<Thank you for writing. It is likely that the prima facie cause of all the other symptoms you list is a "swim bladder disorder"... all-too common in "rounder" breeds of Goldfish. Your step to intervene with feeding peas is a good strategy, as over time, consumption of less "fat" prone/storage foods allows for a better balance/orientation. I would move this specimen to a shallow system (A handful of inches deep) w/o rocks, other sharp decor, no lighting, feed it very sparingly, and perhaps add a level teaspoon of Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate) per ten net/actual gallons (no need to re-new unless you change out water). Over a period of a few weeks it should "right" itself. The other suggested medicines won't hurt, but the sores should clear on their own. Bob Fenner>

Goldfish Disease
Hey Bob, how are you at fish diseases? A friend has lost one black moor and may loose another large goldfish to some kind of bloating/constipation issue. Can you assist?
<Yes>
Mike

Re: Meteor Watching, Goldfish problems
Mornin Bob. Went to the "big shower" last night. A little groggy this a.m. Great visuals. Took a camera and t-pod but not able to get far enough off the road to suit my taste. Plus there was a cloud that was moving in and out the entire time. Maybe something will come out. Did, 5, 10 and 15 minute time lapse.
<Neat... was out at the sushi bar with friends last night... and they were going to make the big drive to the desert for meteor viewing as well... but too foggy, and late...>
All in all it was a lot less "amazing" than the hype. We did see about 100 meteors in about two and a half hours though and that was amazing. Great tails.
Anyway, on the fish matter. My friend Ted is getting a bit desperate to figure out what is happening with his fish. The Moor died after bloating and not dumping.
<Very, too typical... am writing a review (while reading the book) on Goldfish husbandry... reminded of many losses attributable to too-fancy breeds, too much dried food...>
He tried broad spectrum antibiotics but to no availed. Now he has another with the same symptoms. He set up a hospital tank as isolation and is ready to move the sick fish into it. The only change that he can think of is that he changed food types a few weeks before the first fish became ill..... Perhaps you should give him a call and speak to him directly.
<Mmm, I don't generally call, talk re such matters (we have thousands of people on our sites daily... I would be buried)>
I really think that he needs expert advice from a fish person. 
<Agreed... have him email me, and I will answer directly and/or send on the way to other sources>
Now if he wanted to know what to do with a Moor Gazelle with a luxated hock joint, well I'm his man...but here I fear my expertise falls woefully short here...he is at 619-222-3746. He should be home later today (Sunday) so if you have the time and don't mind giving him a jingle I am sure that he would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.
Mike
<Please have him write if possible. Bob Fenner>

Pigmentation change
We have a new pond feature in our backyard. This is our first year with fish, and we have 2 comets, 2 shubunkins, and (I think) a fantail. All have been healthy all season.
Recently, one of the comets lost his/her orange stripes and is now mostly a gold color. The other comet still has his/her strong orange spot and stripe. Why did one lose its color? Still healthy, still goes after food, still plays and socializes.
<Thank you for writing. For whatever reasons (genetic predisposition, "weather", water quality, nutrition...) some goldfish as individuals tend to lose their color with time, growth. Black Moors produced in the U.S. for instance have tended to go "brassy" rather than stay black for years... Nothing to worry about here.>
Thanks for any help you can give.
<Enjoy your pond and goldfish varieties. Bob Fenner>