Month: September 2008

Categories
Garden Ponds Goldfish Goldfish Care Goldfish Ponds How To Pond Predator Protection

How To Protect Your Goldfish From Pond Predators

By Jamie Boyle

Many pond owners today often face the problem of pond predators visiting their water garden and they need to learn how to protect goldfish from pond predators before becoming their next meal. A lot of people don’t even realize they even have a problem until it’s too late. People should always try and count their fish come feeding time to make sure all fish are accounted for. It also makes a great time to observe your fish for any signs of goldfish diseases or parasites.

If you notice your fish scared or frightened or any goldfish missing then you may very well of had a tall-feathery creature stop by for a meal or two. Blue Heron Pond PredatorHerons, kingfishers, raccoons, snakes, cats and even frogs are pond predators. Yes! Even frogs! I have seen many frogs shoot out there tongue and catch small fish when they dash up to the surface. You see a frogs tongue is shot out based on movement and we have seen many goldfish eaten at an early age. The good news about pond predators is that there are many ways you can protect your goldfish from wildlife and I’m going to show you how.

How To Protect Your Goldfish From Pond Predators? 

Raccoons Are Excellent At Fishing - Protect Your Fish!

Heron Decoy Will Protect Your Pond FishThe first step in protecting your goldfish from predators is to go out to your local hardware store, pet store and often even garden nurseries today who stock pond supplies and equipment and purchase a heron decoy. A heron decoy will stop other herons from dropping by as they are very much territorial. They automatically assume that there is already a heron there so there must not be too many fish left. In turn the heron continues flying on in search of a free water source to fish. I know many people who have had pond predator problems and they have used them and they haven’t had any problems since.

Scarecrow Motion Activated Sprinkler System For Pond PredatorsAnother way to protect your goldfish from pond predators is to buy a scarecrow sprinkler system. These work great! Why you may ask? Is because they have a built in motion sensor so when anything comes even remotely close to your pond a blast of water shoots out scaring off anything near. This is a sure way to defend your goldfish and give them a fighting chance. It’s also a great laugh in the scare you put the pond predator through with a blast of water right at its butt! 🙂 It will make that heron or other animal think twice about coming back 😉

Laguna Pond NettingAnother suggestion pond owners can do is to protect your goldfish pond from predators using a pond netting. Again you should be able to buy pond netting at any local hardware store and also you can buy it online as well. Using pond netting will protect pond fish but it takes away the beauty and look of a pond. I know I hate using pond netting but hey, if it protects your pond fish then you did solve your problem. It also stops leaves from going into the pond and falling to the pond bottom messing up the water. It works, but what you decide to choose is up to you.

I hope these above mentioned ways at learning how to protect your goldfish pond from pond predators has helped. Pond predators are annoying but at least there are things we can do to help protect our pond fish.

Have you ever had pond predators drop by your pond? What did you do to protect your pond fish from being eaten? Lets here your stories on the problem that faces many pond owners – pond predators. How to protect your fish from pond predators? A question most pond owners will have one-time or another.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
“Helping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasites”

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Uncategorized

How To Kill A Sick Goldfish Humanely?

By Jamie Boyle

Lets just put it this way, there is no humane way to kill a goldfish. I have read on the Internet some pretty wild ideas on to supposedly to relieve the goldfish from pain and suffering. I know there are sometimes that you feel like you want to intervene and save your goldfish from more pain, but to kill your goldfish yourself, hmmmmm I don’t know about that. I will talk here about different ways on how to kill a goldfish humanely but call it humane I don’t know.

First off if you are looking at getting rid of your goldfish or other types of fish do not kill them because you don’t want to be in the aquarium hobby anymore or looking to get rid of your goldfish pond. I repeat don’t try and kill your goldfish humanely. The most humane thing one can do is find another home for your goldfish. There are tons of people out there who are eager to take your goldfish off your hands. Think of friends, neighbours and best yet people who have a goldfish pond. I’m sure they would like to add to their goldfish collection. If you can’t find someone you can always contact your local pet store, they will take them off your hands for sure. You could always try calling a local landscaper who specializes in installing ponds, I’m sure he will know people who would. Try and find someone to take care of your goldfish. Never kill goldfish because you don’t want them anymore! That’s just cruel.

Now if you have sick goldfish and have tried treating them but nothing seems to work, then people may consider this alternative. I myself, cannot do it, I would much rather have life take its course and if it’s the goldfish’s time, then it’s his time to go. There is no humane way to kill a goldfish, if it’s gonna die then let it die of natural causes. I know if it was me I would want to fight right to the end, right to my last breath. Give your goldfish a chance.

You’ve all heard and seen on the Internet that the best way on how to kill a sick goldfish humanely is to flush them down the toilet. I repeat no it’s not. This is the worse way that a goldfish can die. It ends up being a long, pain full death. The ammonia will cause irritation to gills and cause the goldfish to suffocate. Never kill a goldfish by flushing them down the toilet, there is no humane way in that.

Now on to the next one, putting your goldfish in the freezer to die. Think about it, you know how much that would hurt. That would be a long pain full death yet again. When I hear people talk about freezing goldfish in a freezer is the best way to humanely kill a goldfish I think of the Deadliest Catch, the show on TV about Alaska crab fishing. There was a man who talked about how he and his friend survived after his boat went down in the extremely cold water. They had a suit on and the water was so cold that one of the guys tried to drown himself cause the cold hurt so much. His friend said hold on someone will come and luckily he did as they were saved moments later as a nearby crab fishing boat spotted them. It was luck or a miracle as the auto pilot steered to the left for some reason and that’s when the captain spotted the men in the water after coming up from getting a bite to eat. You see freezing your goldfish to death would yet be another long pain full death. Putting your goldfish in the freezer to die, there is no humane way in that. Think of the man, he couldn’t stand it anymore that he even tried drowning himself it was that cold.

Now on to the last and final way. It is reported that on how to kill a goldfish humanely is to place your goldfish in a large bag and bang the head of the goldfish sharply against a edge of a table, rock or anything hard and sharp that can cause instant death. Now again, do not kill your goldfish because you don’t want them anymore, this is only to be considered if you cannot stand to watch your goldfish suffer anymore. If there is nothing wrong with your goldfish try and find new parents for them that will take care of your goldfish. So to sum it up the best way to kill a goldfish humanely is to strike the head of the goldfish on a sharp or hard surface causing instant death. Now I know that sounds cruel but that is what many believe is the most humane way to kill a goldfish. You won’t catch me doing it. I have to much of a heart for the little goldfish.

What do you think? What’s the most humane way to kill a sick goldfish? Are there any other methods you’ve heard about on the Internet that may be considered a humane way to kill goldfish? Do you think you could do it? I know I couldn’t. Share your thoughts and stories on this one as it’s a much debated issue about humane ways to kill a goldfish.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy

Categories
Fin and Tail Rot Goldfish Goldfish Care Goldfish Diseases

Treating Fin and Tail Rot On Goldfish

By Jamie Boyle

Before you learn how to treat fin and tail rot on goldfish you first need to make sure you have properly diagnosed your goldfish illness. So what is fin and tail rot you may ask? Fin and tail rot is a goldfish disease that you can see that affects the fins and tail that appears to be rotting away. If left untreated the fin and tail will rot right to the body itself. You will know its fin and tail rot as you will see ragged, ripped,frayed and torn fins whith a white-pinkish layer at the edges and often red streaks as well. The good news about fin and tail rot on goldfish is that it’s easily treatable.

What Causes Fin and Tail Rot On Goldfish?

The cause of fin and tail rot beginning on goldfish is a bacterial infection has set in. Bacterial infections are mainly caused by poor water quality. As I’ve said it many times and I will say it again, the #1 reason fish get sich is because of water quality. They become stressed, there immune system lowers and goldfish parasites attack or bacterial infections arise. Another cause for fin and tail rot developing on goldfish is sometimes a result of an injury your goldfish have suffered. The most common cause of fin and tail rot is usually poor water quality.

How Do I Treat Fin And Tail Rot On Goldfish?

You can treat fin and tail rot on goldfish with several medications. The ones I like to use are Melachite Green and Melafix. Melachite Green works very well but it’s more harsh then Melafix but it works. With Melafix it’s an all natural medication that won’t disturb your biological filter. Melafix also work well at healing goldfish and rejuvenating tissue. The PondCare melafix I beleive is one cap full for every 50 gallons. Please read manufacturers label for recommended dosage. You can also buy Melafix for aquariums as well.

Just the other day I was reading an interesting article about treating fin and tail rot with peroxide. I myself have never tried that myself but I have used iodine to treat fin and tail rot. Sometimes there are household products that can work but medication specifically for fin and tail rot for goldfish is much better.

Is there anything I can do to prevent fin and tail rot from happening in the first place?

The best way to prevent fin and tail rot from happening on your goldfish would be to make sure you maintain your water quality. Do water tests on a regular basis to make sure fish don’t become stressed and living in poor water quality. A proper maintenance shedule that you stick to will help prevent many goldfish diseases from happening in the first place. Don’t want fin and tail rot to happen to your goldfish? Then proper goldfish care is essential to have healthy goldfish.

Sincerely,

Jamie Boyle
The Goldfish Guy
“Helping Goldfish Owners With Advice, Fish Care and Fish Medication Treatments for Goldfish Diseases, Illnesses and Parasites”