Back in Philly Town

I’m back from Thanksgiving, and whatever was ailing BI did not affect the other fish. They behave normally, mostly resting and occasionally swimming a bit and munching some yummy algae. Water temps have established themselves in the forties, but we haven’t had a hard frost yet. When I go to NY next week, I will have to put the heater into the pond just in case we get a cold blast.

I traveled to North Carolina for the holiday, so I froze the dead fish. I am of two minds whether to take her out to Harleysville for a necropsy or just put her in the weekly collection. With no signs of injury or disease, I remain puzzled, but perhaps it is best sometimes to let a mystery remain so. I probably should have brought her with me for the holiday, as my nephew has worked with ornamental fish as a profession, but I have no idea where we would have found the tools for a proper exam in my hometown.

The big pond dealer in Philly has a sale Saturday!

RIP Billy Idol

I am in mourning. I went out to check the pond yesterday and Billy Idol, my biggest and most unusual fish, was dead, lying on her side on the bottom of the pond. She had been perfectly all right the day before, having recovered from an August infection.

I took her out of the pond with my hand, and examined her, but there was nothing obviously wrong. I can only speculate that her resistance was low from fighting off the septicemia, and the wild fluctuations in water temperature (it went from 57 to 48 in less than 24 hours) did her in. I have always heard albinos were weak, but Billy was my best eater and one of the friendliest and most active of my goldies in her prime. Both wakins from Giant Aquarium are now gone, the only fish I have lost, so I guess I won’t be buying any more from them.

The fish have been resting on the bottom a lot, but still swimming about now and then. Water quality is good, and the other fish have been behaving normally, munching a little algae, following the sun around. I don’t think I can bear to lose any more my first season.

Torpor time

We are having our first cold snap, so the water temperature has finally fallen into the forties fahrenheit. I will have plenty of wheat germ feed left over for the spring, as the warm weather lasted almost until the first frost, which is imminent. Water temps were in the 50s for only a couple of weeks. Last week, with it in the high fifties/low sixties, they were eating like pigs. Now, they don’t even acknowledge my presence at the feeding spot.

The fish are entering the winter torpor phase in the mid-40s. They spend a lot of time on the bottom motionless, occasionally snacking on a little algae. When the sun is out, Flash and the shubbies take a swim about. Fish do not go into full hibernation but into a mildly torpid state. Their reactions are slowed, but they remain somewhat aware of their surroundings. It is important not to disturb them, as they awaken with a surge of adrenalin which stresses them.

An excellent paper on the biology of winter fish ponds can be found on the comprehensive AKCA site:

Cold Water Koi Keeping

Pond fish have more sense(s) than you think

Goldfish have our five senses, plus a sixth, which has nothing to do with seeing dead fish, but everything to do with swimming with the fishies!

Read all about it on the “Fish Senses” page.