Goldfish Not Surviving in small 50 gallon water feature

[NWAgileShelties]

I have a small water feature pond I created with a 50 gallon plastic barrel liner. I have had this with water plants for a number of years, and last late fall, since we had problems with the fish not surviving, I took everything out and scrubbed it down (didn't use any soap or cleaner). Filled with water and about a month ago, bought 4 feeder gold fish from the pet store. They looked in nice condition, and I slowly released them into the water. Two have already died and the last two it is hard to tell if they will make it. The one that just died, looked like it might have had white spots on its body, and the day before he died, one of the other fish was biting at it. What could be the cause of their deaths? My water plants are growing great. The barrel liner is half buried into the yard. I also am not overfeeding them.

The only thing we can think of, is last year, my boyfriend, took a plastic pot and filled it with concrete (the same concrete he used for his deck supports). The pot filled concrete was created to weigh down one of the plants. Is that what could be killing them? If so, it isn't bothering the plants. He was concerned that the algae was killing them.

I really want this to succeed, as I want them to eat the mosquito larve. We don't spray any chemicals in our yard, so that isn't the problem.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas. I am really bumbed out by this, as I want them to survive and thrive.

Thanks, Steph

 

[DMD123]

The one fish that died that had 'white spots' sounds like it may have had Ich. It may have been sick when you purchased it to begin with.

 

[Ratlova30]

First of all feeder goldies are often loaded with parasites to begin with. I agree with DMD in the fact that the white spots were probably ich.

Several things could be causing their demise. The parasite are one of things in combination of them most likely just not being very healthy or ill bred stock. The second thing I can think of is that your pond isn't cycled and doesn't have it's beneficial bacteria established. Without the beneficial bacteria in the pond there will certainly be ammonia spikes which will kill. Are you treating the water before it goes in to remove chlorine and chloramines? Even if you had BB in your pond if you added water to the pond that wasn't treated it would kill the good bacteria.

 

[Fish Addict]

I almost always lose feeder goldies as stated above they often don't live long but when they do they live LONG

 

[NWAgileShelties]

When I had originally cleaned out the pond last fall, water sat in it for almost 6 months before I put the current crop of goldfish in it. So, no, I didn't treat the water, since I would assume the chlorine would evaporate out. Any water added after that was very little (just enough to add an inch or so of water). So, wouldn't the beneficial bacteria be in it?

So, you don't think the concrete block in the water is hurting the fish?

Fish Addict, last week I was at my Aunt's house, and in the dining room they had a goldfish in a 20 gallon tank. I asked them about it, and found out that the fish was 14 years old. My cousin had won the fish when she was around 6 years old. They said they didn't take that good of care of the fish (it was in a gold fish bowl), but for some reason it survived. It now has a nice tank with lighting and filter. It isn't too big (maybe about 3" or so long), but it looks healthy.
I will try and take some pictures of my little pond this weekend.

Thanks

 

[Fish Addict]

People build ponds out of concrete so I doubt that would be it but it COULD be but I really doubt it.

It is probably the chlorine in the water you added that likely killed the nitrifying bacteria.

 

[NWAgileShelties]

Here are the pictures of my water feature:

About half of the container is buried in the ground. We did that to prevent it from freezing solid.

The two surviving fish seem like they are doing OK. They were swiming around, and were eating the food I gave them.