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Do you notice your fish are inactive and not eating during hot weather?

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Do you notice your fish are inactive and not eating during hot weather?

Be sure to aerate your pond with an aeration system. Water falls, water circulation pumps and spitters do not offer as much oxygen as aeration pumps.
Warm water cannot hold enough dissolved oxygen and fish will suffer. You may notice they are at the top of the surface gulping for air (this is called piping) or at the waterfall so the water can pass by their gills. They are not playing. They are suffering.

Aeration pumps with appropriately placed air diffusers move the cooler water at the bottom of the pond upwards. While this may help cool the top of the water surface, the biggest benefit is it increases dissolved oxygen needed for fish (especially larger fish)

It is time to change fish foods when water temp is over 80 degrees.
If your water temperature reaches 80 degrees, switch from high protein food to low protein wheat germ food. This will help reduce the biological load on your filtration and reduce problems with water chemistry.

Stop Feeding when Water Temp is over 86 degrees.
If your water temperature 86 degrees or higher, stop feeding your fish. They’ll be fine. Start feeding after water temps drop below 85 degrees.

FEEDING DIRECTIONS
Regularly monitor your water temperature and adjust the amount and frequency of your feedings based on this temperature, the water condition, number and size of fish and their activity level. Avoid over-feeding and always remove any uneaten food remaining after the feeding period.

Fish and Plant Health – The Importance of Aeration and Dissolved Oxygen in your pond

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Did you know, during the daylight hours the algae and other aquatic plants (waterlily, lotus, floating plants) provide oxygen to your pond?   This is a benefit to other aquatic creatures, such as fish.  However, in the darkness, these same plants use the oxygen for energy, taking away the oxygen which aquatic creatures.  All aquatic creatures need dissolved oxygen to survive.

It is important to use air pump for the total amount of water in your pond.  For large ponds (10,000 gallons or more) it is best to use multiple diffusers to ensure proper dissolved oxygen levels are maintained throughout the pond.

Fish Behavior in low oxygenated ponds:

Koi breath by pumping water over their gills, this is how they use dissolved oxygen.  Still ponds are void of proper dissolved oxygen, which is evident with fish kills or abnormal fish behavior.

  • Have you noticed fish kills when you wake up in the morning or have you noticed fish gasping (piping) at the surface?  This is a sign of low dissolved oxygen.
  • If you have a waterfall, have you noticed the fish ‘playing’ in the waterfall? Unfortunately, they are not playing but are trying to survive as the water coming off the waterfall has more oxygen than other areas of the pond.
    • Koi and goldfish need 7.0-9.o ppm dissolved oxygen to thrive and heal.
    • At 5.0 ppm, fish will display behavior they are suffering.  At 3.0 ppm, the fish will die.
      • DO meters are used to measure the DO levels in your pond but it is not necessary to purchase a DO meter. They are expensive and typically not used by most pond owners. Simply observe your fish and test the water quality.  Fish behavior and water quality are very good indicators of poor DO levels.

It is best to use an air pump suitable for your entire body of water.  If the pond is large, using multiple diffusers will keep the water column moving and well oxygenated.

Diffusers are designed for the depth of your pond.  For example, two inch round air stones are not effective when placed in water more than two feet deep.  Why? It is due to the hydrostatic pressure against the stone and the tubing.  Simply stated the air pump cannot overcome the hydrostatic pressure on the air stone.

It is important to read the labels and the user manuals as all diffusers and air pumps, which have different operating requirements.  For example,  if the air pump operating specification state “for depths up to 7 feet and ponds up to 7500 gallons”, this means the diffuser will work up to 7 feet in depth and the air pump will oxygenate 7500 gallons of water.  It does not mean the air pump is too large if your pond is less than 7 feet deep.  It does mean, ponds over 7500 gallons, will not have sufficient dissolved oxygen throughout the pond, therefore additional air pumps and diffusers or air pump system designed for your large pond is essential in providing proper dissolved oxygen levels.

While robust aeration is always best, especially in ponds where fish are suffering,  it can be distracting to those who who prefer the look of still water and do not like the look of moving the water column, which benefits fish and plant health.  If still water is more important, then the pond owner should avoid filling the pond with fish or other aquatic creatures.  All living things needs oxygen….even plants.   Ponds need moving water, even in natural ponds—without proper dissolved oxygen, creatures will die.

Still ponds are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and will produce carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide which do not benefit fish or plants.  If the homeowner prefers a still pond during the day, they may want to use a dusk to dawn timer and run the air pump during the evening hours when the oxygen levels fall to their lowest levels.

Can you shut off the air pump? Yes! Dissolved oxygen, does not drop off immediately after the air pump is shut off but it can be a concern, especially in darkness, as plants will take away the oxygen for their survival (energy) which will negatively impact fish in the pond.   While sitting at the pond, it is okay to shut off the air pump to observe the fish—just remember to turn the air pump on when you leave the pond.

When is the best time to run the air pump?  Always running the air pump is best!  It is very important to leave the air pump running during the night and the winter months.     If you want the air pump off during the day, consider a dusk to dawn timer so the air pump runs at night.

Two Major Benefits of Running aeration:

  • Reduces muck (decomposed plants, dead fish, fish waste) in your pond.  Muck uses oxygen, so leaving the air pump running keeps the water column moving and allows aerobic bacteria to thrive and reduces the muck–improving water quality and dissolved oxygen levels, year round.
    • If you have noticed a sulfur smell or methane smell from your pond, this odor is due to decaying matter caused by the lack of water movement (which leads to low dissolved oxygen).
  • Provides proper oxygen levels for plants and fish.  Moving water increases dissolved oxygen and reduces breeding grounds for mosquitoes.

Personally, we have never experienced negative results with the use of robust aeration.  We have experienced fish kills and death due to low oxygen levels, high ammonia and nitrite levels.   If you have seen a fish suffering from gas bubble disease, it is more likely caused by the nitrite and nitrate levels.  Use a test kit and check the levels then use products such as Seachem Pond Prime to eliminate the problem.

If you do nothing else, remember robust aeration is the most important thing to add to your pond.

Chilodonella infections in pond fish

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In the spring you may notice one or several fish do not look well.  They are lying on their side and are very lethargic.   This usually occurs when the water temperature is between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

One common cause is due to a microscopic protozoan parasite known as Chilodonella.

Chilodonella infections are not affected by changes of water temperature, so there is no need to heat the water or move the fish but it is necessary to treat the water and fish to rid the parasite.

What are the symptoms? 

  • Fins will be clamped or folded.
  • Fish will act itchy or they will be flashing.
  • Fish will be lethargic and lean over on their sides at the bottom of the pond but will quickly turn upright and move quickly when startled.
  • Labored breathing is often observed.
  • Excessive mucous production is typically seen (body will look cloudy).

If you observe this behavior–then it is possible that your fish is infected with Chilodonella parasite.

Chilodonella attaches to the skin, gills or fins and will puncture the fish making way for bacterial infections.  These bacteria are Aeromonas hydrophilla and Psudomonas, which grow very fast when water temperature is between 42 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bacteria will enter puncture wounds in the fish causing infections (ulcers, fin rot) which can be difficult to treat.

How can this be prevented?  Keep it clean!  Often parasites find their way into your pond by mother nature.  We can also introduce risk by adding “new” untreated plants and fish or when wild birds use your waterfall as a bird bath.

To keep your pond parasite free, you need to keep your water clean.  Use very good mechanical filtration, perform periodic filter maintenance and weekly water changes.  Treat the water, periodically with products designed to kill parasites.

If maintenance is not performed, eventually you will need to clean the pond and use products to clear your water and destroy parasites.

Keep your fish healthy during feeding season! Use high quality, vitamin rich koi food.  Read the label!  All koi foods are not created equally!

What is the right treatment? There are several treatment options on the market.

Some treatment options are CystalClear KnockOut Plus,  Microbe-Lift Defend, Microbe-Lift Parazoryne,  Seachem Pond Health Guard, ABI Ultra Clear Potassium Permanganate Solution.

Remember NO treatments are risk-free! 

We have personally used and stock all of these products (and others) and will be happy to assist you with selecting the product that is best for you to use.

Spring Time and Ponds

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Spring Time and your Pond

By now, most pond owners in North America, are experiencing spring temperatures.  The ice on the pond is melting and now we can see our fish.

How did your fish do over the winter?   Unfortunately, many of us (we are one of those people) do experience loss of fish.   Sometimes these fish weren’t that healthy last fall and they failed to survive the winter.  Other times, predators are returning and are taking advantage of easy food source since the ponds are not covered with ice or plant life.

Nets are one solution to that problem—it works for many people, including us.  But this year, the net we suspend over the pond was removed and is sitting someplace under the snow.

This week, we had our first visit of a Great Blue Heron.   It sat patiently, picking off the small goldfish in our small pond—now covered to protect them.   It also sat very patiently on the skimmer inlet where the small fish hang out (near the pond heater).    We threw a net over that spot and also used Black pond dye to help hide the fish in the pond.

There are several Osprey and Heron tracking websites you can Google to tell if these migratory birds are in your area.    Heron certainly are in Massachusetts and I suspect the Osprey are not too far behind them.

Pond Netting and Pond Dyes:

So my pond friends, keep an eye on your pond and use Pond Netting and Pond Dye whenever possible to protect your pond fish this spring!

Read Your Koi Food Ingredient Label

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How many of us really read our Koi Food Ingredient Label when purchase food for our koi?  Quite often, we look at the price of the food, not the quality.    While it is okay to have ‘fast food’ every now and then, it’s not wise to have a steady diet of poor quality food.    Koi will suffer from the use of low quality koi food.

Like any living creature, Koi need high quality koi food to avoid illness and death during their life.

Do you know what to avoid in Koi food ingredients?  Here are a few examples for you to keep in mind when you read those labels:

Do not purchase any food that has CORN listed in the top three ingredients.  It is best to avoid corn in the ingredient list as they cannot digest corn.

Do not purchase food that is not manufactured specifically for Koi.  Example, avoid catfish food, for example.

Low Protein, High Fat content.   High fat content can contribute to fatty liver disease in your koi.

High Quality Koi food will have the following:

High Protein (>36%).

Spirulina, Fresh Wheat Germ, Fish-based protein (not plant based), silkworm, minerals, including Calcium Montmorillonite Clay,  and vitamins, especially L-Ascorbyl-2-Phosphate (Vitamin C).

If Calcium Montmorillonite Clay is not in your koi food, it can be purchased separately.   You can simply add some to your koi feed or put a ‘ball’ of it in your pond for your koi to enjoy.

Happy Feeding!