Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Got about 35 silvers in various spots, sumps of large system, the new wintering system in the garage etc.

They are all random sizes, lost 4 over 6 days, 2 then 1 then 1 all big ones.

then none for a week, now in 2 days iv lost 3, 2 tiny ones and 1 medium one.

all water tests prove fine, plenty of o2 stable temps of around 19 in indoor system out door is a little cooler around 16.

the only thing that is the same is that there mouths are all WIDE open... like scary movie wide, nice pink gills etc.... just WIDE mouths.

disected a few and nothing out of the ordinary.... lost here........

What are you feeding it hasent gone off has it
also plenty of o2 describe your air system

Other water tests results? How long have you had them?

Ok...

Silvers are out of 2 batches 1 from Dec last year and 1 from Jan this year.

had them running fine for ages, the rest of them Look very happy looked in there 2 hours before finding dead fish, and nothing looking out of the ordinary, then 2 floaters.

Feed is ridley aquafeed 2mm, new bag, bagged into 1kg lots glad bags air tight, stored in freezer. Feeding trout from same bag.

system 1 (indoor) air system is a BYAP AC/DC with 2 air stones, venturi off 3000LPH pump also ventrui on return to sump.

Outdoor system (has trout in main tank) has 4 airstones running off a big airpump (not sure of spec) ventrui, + 3 auto siphons.

first losses i thought may be due to auto siphons stunning the fish.

2nd losses i was wondering about too much of a whirlpool in the tank.

rectified both issues and still had a 2 deaths tonight.

Ammo 0 ites 0 Ph I/D(6.8-7) o/D(7.2) unsure of ates as iv run out of test... new one should have been here today but didnt get to post office in time.

Dought if its the auto siphons or the wirlpool action i bet its the feed
i personaly dont like food thats been frozen
others seem to recon its ok

Jamey, are you letting the food thaw out properly before you feed it to them. I have the same food and stored the same way, but take the required food out and thaw for 2-3 hours. Just a thought.

This feed im using hasnt made the freeezer as its my first kg bag. only had it about 2 weeks, i'm wondering if its too big for them... its a 2mm feed though.

might go get some alternative feed today.

Milne: Whats your method for storing food?? i got 20kg of Ridley aquafeed, dived into 1kg snaplock bags, chucked them in the freezer due to thinking it would be best for long term storage.

However at the feed places they just leave it in the bag, i'm guessing the bags would be sitting around for a while after being made, packed, transported etc.

Dark cool place would be good??

Hi j i have never frozen food just a cool dark place if the fish cant eat 2mm they must be small

Its a possibility. I had one die similar to how you described. I was short of feed at the time and was crushing some 4mm pellets.
Didn't worry about a couple uncrushed ones initially as thought the Koi would eat them.
However I saw the silver take one and next day had a floater.

you mentioned air is all good but seems to be like a possible cause to me. Notice any signs of skin defects on dead ones. Or even on any of the live ones? Have you stressed them out in any way over the last few days. Netting or anything?
Could the auto siphons be sticking?
Did you have a black out while not home?

Sounds like disease of parasite to me..

Nope all healthy looking, no defects, so skin conditions... they were stressed out last week with moving etc. so that could have caused first couple of deaths i guess..

is there a Salt level that becomes too toxic to fish, also does anyone know how long it takes for salts to dissapear?

was iv got it salted to around 3ppm that was last week, just wondering weather to salt it up a bit more...... only got Mint basil in the indoor system to soak out ates, couldnt care less if i kill it as iv got tonnes of the shit... and it grows rampard.

ps. anyone want a commercial ammount of mint basil?? hahahah

You can't necessarily see physical signs of anything on the fish.

Salts don't just disappear, can depend on what plants you have as to whether they take them up out of the system. You really need a refractometer to check your levels before thinking of adding any more.

got any pics jamie?

If you salted to 3 ppt last week, it would be safe to salt another 3 ppt. A couple of days later, just do a water change.