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Goldfish appeared dead, but wasn't
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Posted by Bill_D Wiltshire, UK (My Page) on Wed, Aug 10, 05 at 16:37
| This morning I noticed one of my goldfish apparently dead on the surface of the pond. I was taking water samples for testing at the time, and finished that then went back to remove the fish. I could only see part of the body, due to watercress. I moved some watercress to one side to see the fish better, then moved some more. The fish still lay motionless, apparently dead. This fish is normally extremely timid, and dives for cover at the slightest movement. I looked at it for quite some seconds, then suddenly it leaped and dived down.
Later I saw it near the same spot, struggling over some oxygenator, partly out of the water.
Could it have become trapped earlier, part out of the water on the oxygenator, and lost consciousness?
It may or may not be relevant that this is one of two goldfish that came to me from a tank, and went into my pond a year ago. I was told they were about five to seven years old. The other fish died about two months ago, with no visible signs of the cause.
I'm puzzled about why the fish lay there motionless, even when I moved the watercress twice, when it's usually so timid.
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Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Goldfish appeared dead, but wasn't
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- Posted by AJC_1 8 the fens (My Page) on
Thu, Aug 11, 05 at 14:50
| I have seen them like that in early morning if the pond is full of oxygenator weed, they take the oxygen back out at night, and at this time of year it can leave weaker fish struggling to breath until the plant put some back again, and its not all that great for the others either, might be a cause here, coupled with old age. |
RE: Goldfish appeared dead, but wasn't
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- Posted by Bill_D Wiltshire, UK (My Page) on
Thu, Aug 11, 05 at 15:41
| I hadn't realised that oxygenator takes oxygen from the water at night - I've now cleared a fair bit of it out as it was getting rather out of hand anyway. The fish in question seems fine today. |
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