Caryl

It sounds like the whole family has got involved in the hobby. This is good :happy1:

Just got back from Quiz Night. We came second to those damned Microbes again!!! :an!gry Oh well, we won the Jackpot questions though so won $110.00 plus the $20 bar tab. I think we have about $170 on the tab now :roll: Although it is only Wednesday, Grant has already worked 42.5 hours (since Monday) and driven 796km so far (not much compared to usual) so those complaining about a few exams do not have his commiserations.

Good to see you haven't given up! :bounce:

I am a fan of the leopardfish myself.

Hi and welcome Post your questions in the saltwater section for the marine keepers to see.

Peas first. If that doesn't work, Google for how to do a bath in Epsom Salts.

If the scales are sticking out like a pinecone all over (including on top and all the way to the tail) then it is dropsy. If it is just distended over the belly area I would suspect constipation.

If it has always been like that I suspect genetics or something going wrong when it was growing. It it is otherwise OK and feeds OK then I would not worry.

Hippuris Vulgaris common mare's tail. Rotala Macrandra red rotala. May get eaten by the goldfish Myriophyllum propinquum parrot's feather, water milfoil. An oxygen weed that needs to be grown on the surface, or round the edges. Myriophyllum aquaticum is banned here and often referred to by the same common names. bacopa lenagera Hairy water hyssop. A large leaved oxygenating plant with light green leaves and yellow veins showing within the leaves. Plants will grow long when submerged but mat forming on the surface with tiny purple flowers. Various bacopa sp are available and often sold as nursery plants. One of the most well known of the Bacopa sp is commonly called Baby Tears gratiola sexdentata A wetland plant on the edge of lakes and swamps. As a pond plant it will grow half a metre tall. I collect oxygen weed from the local water ways, making sure it is from fast flowing areas so less algae on it and less unwanted critters hitching a ride. Goldfish eat a lot of plants so getting free ones is easier on the pocket. They do not eat lilies.

The females can get very beaten up during mating and some can die. The mucus is possibly the fish producing extra body slime as a natural way of healing. The slime coat protects the fish from all sorts of bugs and after mating she has done this to help protect the damaged parts as they heal.

210m deep, 9.5m in length and 850m width? Since it is a fibreglass kidney shape I think you have the measurements incorrect. I do not know of any fibreglass fish ponds deep enough to go diving in. I suspect you are missing some m's in there. The largest preformed kidney shaped pond I could find after a quick search was 1200 x 900 x 420mm deep, capacity 220 litres. I agree with Ira though, it needs filtration, especially if it is actually the size I think it is and not what you have stated. I fear the water quality deteriorates rapidly with 15 fish in it.

Welcome to the fishroom. A lot of dog (and cat) people in here.

I came home to mine too. My sincerest apologies Simon, I did stuff up the title. Luckily, the whole article specifies they are blackworms, not bloodworms :oops: :roll: I am blaming the drugs. I think it just as well I did not write any of the articles in this edition - the first time ever I have been able to say that! The spell checker did not pick up the error :facepalm: My appointment with the surgeon went well and hopefully I will have surgery within 2 - 3 weeks so ought to be drug free by the time I start compiling the February magazine. Any mistakes in it will be my natural stupidity. :gigl:

How many fish did you have and how many were removed? The good bacteria grow to eat the waste and if you remove a lot of fish you will then have a lot of bacteria die as well and I guess that could do it? Sounds like a good theory to me anyway 8)

Went into the post this morning. Let the race begin! :slfg: If wok claims he already has his - he's lying

So why are you all desperate to find alders? :dunno:

Dogs might be an issue - many like to jump into ponds

Hi and welcome. Yes, your location would help plus... What do you call "a while"? How many fish over what time period? Tell us a bit more about the pond, what is it made of? What size and depth is it? How many fish were in it? Is it in fu sun, partial or total shade? Does it have any filtration in it or just the fountain? Some fountains have a small filter attached. What sort of algae are you troubled with? If you do not know the type, then describe what it looks like. A lot of questions I know but it will help us determine what the problem is. There is no use adding more fish if we do not work out why they are dying in the first place.

I used my tank as a wardrobe for a number of years ( more than 4) then set it up. It has now been running over 10 years with no problems so far (fingers crossed). I am sure it is due to have the silicone replaced as i have been told 10 years is about when it starts to loosen. Did your fingernail into the silicone. if it feels soft and squishy then it should be fine. Depends how and where it was stored.

and toeing the line? How is the water now Graham?

It also explains why men can't find the socks when they are right in front of them in the sock drawer

Welcome. I too think it will be too shallow, unless it is sheltered from the sun. Check with your local council as to maximum depth before fencing becomes a requirement. It is usually around 45cm. Lilies need at least 45cm I think (most of them). My pond is full of oxygen weed I pulled from the river that runs through the middle of my town - free Visit your local garden centre and see what they have in the way of aquatic, marginal and bog plants. How are you converting the sand pit? What will the pond be made of? Concrete or liner? If it is a liner, and you have no chlorine added to the water supply, it will be a case of fill 'er up, wait for the temp to settle (only takes 24 hours) add the plants and fish. Goldfish will be starting to spawn any time now and mid to late Dec onwards is the time to find young ones really cheap.

Hormones? Pheromones?

Native woods are really good. Make sure anything you pick up has not got rotten bits on it. You don't want anything that is dripping sap.

Clicking on that link needs authorisation, which I don't have. pH is not a problem as goldfish don't really care and will adapt to anything. My pond was over 8.0 (don't know what it is now as I never test it) with the fish happily living and breeding in it. I would add one more fish at the most. I know it looks empty but those fish are going to grow a lot bigger! Personally, I think comets ought to be in ponds only so look at the shorter bodied, longer finned varieties that can't swim very well. Goldfish can cope with a certain amount of heat (and 25C is not a problem) but not in a shut up apartment over summer in Napier with no aircon.