Posted: 2009.12.18(Fri)14:49 Post subject: Goldfish Not Eating!
I have a 55 gallon goldfish pond with 2 6 inch comet goldfish (feeder fish). I got them in May of this year. They are fed every 2 days. Today I went outside to do the weekly 20 gallon water change. I noticed as I was removing leaves before the water change that the food from the past 2 feedings was uneaten. The Goldfish always eat their food the second it hits the water. I feed them TETRA POND KOI VIBRANCE STICKS (it says it is also for goldfish). The fish are alive as I saw them swimming today. They are not eating. The only guess I can make is they are eating baby frogs (there are 3 small bullfrogs that just showed up one day a couple of years ago.). Is this why? Can you give me a better reason? Please help me. _________________ Romeo! Juliet? No!
What country do you live in? What region? I ask because in certain climates outdoor goldfish ponds need to be "winterized" by removing the filter, pump etc. to let the pond sit. The fish tend to hibernate during the winter. _________________ 2500 gallon (9,450 L) Koi Pond
15 gallon (57 L) Low-light planted
6 gallon (23 L) Betta splendens
The fish are probably not eating baby frogs. Any time the water gets under 55 degrees f the any fish should not be fed.
Most animal foods are similar so as long as the fish can eat the food it should be OK but outdoor fish especially Goldfish usually supplement with bugs and algae which are usually available.
The fact that the Goldfish are off their feed should be a warning that something has changed so look to see what is different about their world. _________________ wirehair
Goldfish can't digest food once the water temperature drops much under 50F.
In the UK we stop feeding for the winter but try keep the filters running. If you are in an area which freezes you need to bering the fish indoors as 55g is to small to prevent the pond freezing through.
Something in the fishes environment has changed to prevent them from eating. So figure out what has changed and stop that.
Fish are always willing to eat, even if their innards do not digest the food. If the temp has dropped the fish will still eat. It is not uncommon to watch large fish cruising beneath ice looking for food and the fish will eat if fed. Pond owners get a lot of feel goods from feeding fish but most experienced pond owners use Cheerios and Watermelon to give empty calories to fish in the waning days of Fall or Summer otherwise the food sits in their gut but the Bacteria still work even though the fishes digestive system does not leading to massive Bacterial infections. The smart thing to do is watch the water temp carefully and do not feed when it gets too cold. If you have older fish that are worth thousands of dollars why put them at any more risk than you have too? _________________ wirehair
Okay well the pond has never frozen over. The Furthest its ever frozen through is 1 inch. I live in the southern USA. it doesn't get too cold. _________________ Romeo! Juliet? No!
That is cold! By anybodies reckoning an inch of ice gets the water (in almost any kind of pond) below 55 Degrees f. I understand that it sometimes snows in Florida and there is currently a 2 foot snowstorm hitting the middle East Coast States.
But the question I have is why have the fish stopped eating. It is not normal for any fish to not eat when food is available, whether the fish have just been fed or not, especially any type of Carp, which is what Goldfish and Koi are. We need to figure out what is causing the problem. _________________ wirehair
Should I go take a water test? I can also take the temperature of the water.
Just so you know I use strips (my LFS ran out of liquid testers.). I also just did a test assuming it couldn't hurt. the readings were
NITRATE:0
NITRATE:10
HARDNESS(GH):65-70
CHLORINE:0
ALKALINTIY(KH):80
pH: 6.8-7.0
AMMONIA: My strips do not take a test for this. _________________ Romeo! Juliet? No!
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Chat
Help
Search Board
Memberlist
Usergroups
Profile
Check your private messages
Log in
Register
