Pineconed pond fish

[Smurfishy 26]

I just removed the 10" of so of ice from my pond to find atleast a couple are pineconed and one on its side in the bottom. I did lose a few over the winter. In the fall my largest had the same issue, was pineconed and lying on the bottom. I had to hand feed her for two months mm and she finally came to. So I'm assuming the same issue is going on here. I'm considering doing a full water change to my 300g stock tank pond and/or bringing them inside with pond water and change it out once it gets to room temperature and then start feeding mm. Do you guys think this is a good course of action?

[yafashelli 9,540]

Long time, no see! I'm sorry that you have some guys that aren't doing well. Could you take a moment to fill out the D&D questionnaire? You can find a link to it in my sig.

[DawnMichele 6,045]

I hope they feel better.

[shakaho 6,312]

10 inches of ice? The first thing to do is aerate.

You don't want to warm them too fast. Do you have a container/ containers for them that you can use indoors -- preferably in a cool area like a basement? If so, fill it (them) with water and take the fish out of the pond in buckets and bring them indoors. When the temperature matches, move the fish from the buckets to the container(s).

Then you'll want to change all the water in the pond, clean the filters and get them running. You shouldn't have temperatures that will freeze flowing water any more, but who call tell this year.

We can't make any recommendations beyond clean water until you get the questionnaire done.

[Smurfishy 26]

Test Results for the Following:

.5+Ammonia Level(Tank)

0Nitrite Level(Tank)

25Nitrate level(Tank)

0Ammonia Level(Tap)

1-2Nitrite Level(Tap)

0Nitrate level(Tap)

* Ph Level, Tank (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)

8 Ph Level, Tap (If possible, KH, GH and chloramines)

Other Required Info:

Api Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops?

Freezing! Water temperature?

300g 2yrs Tank size (how many gals.) and how long has it been running?

Not been running for months, will have to check What is the name and "size of the filter"(s)?

Not since late fall, did 100% due to die off. Normally I do 30% water change every couple weeks. How often do you change the water and how much?

Shared above How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change?

10 more or less How many fish in the tank and their size?

Recently put in prime What kind of water additives or conditioners?

Nothing once temp dropped below 50 What do you feed your fish and how often?

No Any new fish added to the tank?

No Any medications added to the tank?

Nothing added once set up. One fish has been tested multiple times in a hospital tank. List entire medication/treatment history for fish and tank. Please include salt, Prazi, PP, etc and the approximate time and duration of treatment.

None any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?

Pineconed any unusual findings on the fish such as "grains of salt," bloody streaks, frayed fins or fungus?

One fish laying on bottom on its side Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?

[dnalex 13,633]

How many of them are pineconed. As shakaho pointed out, we don't want to make drastic changes, although we do want to make headways in helping them.

I'm sorry about your fish. This winter has been brutal.

[Smurfishy 26]

The 4 I looked closely at were all pineconed. So maybe all of them have issues. They aren't too big,only one is pond fish sized of it matters Any.

[Smurfishy 26]

I don't go in the basement , I'm phobic of spiders. Would it help any of I put a chunk of ice in the water when I bring them in? This ice cap had been floating in the pond, my boyfriend, we tried lifting it to no avail. He took his sword on a whim and first try split the ice right open. I could of died, but they were all at the bottom. He turned them into chunks small enough to heft out.

[shakaho 6,312]

No, don't put ice in. Do you have an enclosed porch or something that is cooler than the house? Warming isn't anywhere near as stressful to fish as cooling, but slower is still better.

[Smurfishy 26]

Shakaho, i don't think it would be cooling, the water is ice cold, the ice would still be in there if I didn't remove it. We had a couple warm days, before that the weather was in the 20s.

[Smurfishy 26]

After looking again, it looks like only 3 out of 8 are pineconed. There may be a couple more fish hiding.

[Smurfishy 26]

I took 4 out of the 8,since one seemed to be bottom sitting. The worst of the four died, but the three others look great. No more pinecone or bottom sitting.

[shakaho 6,312]

I think it's time to do a spring cleaning if it's not to cold to do a wet job. Empty the pond, put the remaining fish in a tub. Hose out the pond, clean the filters, put in clean water, get the filter running and return the fish (except for any that look sick) to the pond. It seems likely your fish were stressed by the nasty winter.

[Smurfishy 26]

I already did all that but the filters a week or so ago. It ended up icing over again since. If my hose wasnt frozen I would of done the filters.