Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

another 3 fish died on me during the one, one of them i just witnessed.

the first 2 just turned up dead, one of them with 2 big holes in it and guts hanging out. could that have been the other fish picking at it?

this last one was swimming listlessly at the surface and struggling not to turn over, then finally turned belly up. it has a lot of scales missing.

none of the other fish show the same signs.

a water test shows 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. the water is clear and clean.

open to suggestions.

Unless you find the dead fish quickly, the others are likely to pick at and eat their dead comrades. So the holes are not necessarily a sign of violence. However, the one with scales missing that died in front of you does sound like violence.

Has pH been steady? Any other signs of stress or disease? Possible predators?

ph is a constant 7.6
aside from the listless swiming and missing scales there's nothing else to indicate disease
there's birds around but i haven't seen them attacking the fish.

the other fish are perfectly fine.

Hasn't been a cat fishing in the pond Timmy??

check if there are any feathers around the tank. i had some birds fishing for my goldies and had to move them to a more protected tank.

i haven't seen anything around the pond. we have birds here but i'm yet to see them take an interest in the pond

i've got a theory about it.
it appears they die off one at a time for a couple of days each time i top up the water.
i declorinate the water before adding it, but is there anything else i can do to relieve the stress? i've got another gulper at the surface today after the top up and i think he's not going to make it.

Are u aerating the pond?

Is your water supply treated with "chloromine" rahter than just chlorinated Timmy?

nah i checked on that. perth water doesn't use chloromine.

maybe when topping up, run the water through the growbed rather than straight into the fishtank. it might help some?

What's the pH of the "top up" water Timmy..... and how are you de-chlorinating?

What he said...

Can you age the water in a barrel before adding it to your set up, through the grow bed as Jaymie suggested.

I've never been one to trust in chemical dechlorinators.

H

Agreed Himzol, that's why I was asking.... wondering if he is using an "ager" that's maybe sucking the DO out of the water.......

If I remember rightly Timmy only has a small pond......

Maybe as Himzol says.... age in a barrel... sunlight and an airtube......

hmm i'll try keeping a 20L barrel full all the time for topups, and only add it through the grow bed.
i use a chemical conditioner called start right, no idea what's in it i just got it from a pet store.
it's still weird though, the fish die one at a time for a few days after i add the water.