fish behavior

[oneman1pond]

I have been reading a lot, on a lot of different topics regarding ponds and the fish world. I start off reading something and the next thing I know I'm researching something else, it's funny how that works.
I have been observing and looking at my goldfish in the pond every chance I get. I have come to realize that some are.......I guess a little more outgoing then the others, and some are more reserved. Does that make since? I have also noticed that most of the fish....(damn near all) huddle together in one little corner of the pond under a rock ledge and a few of the outcast's are at the deepest part of the pond (middle) next to the filter and a rock I had placed there. Some of the smaller goldfish in the pond I see swimming up to the surface trying to eat whatever looks like food. I
bought two beautiful Shubunkins a few days ago and introduced them to the family. The smaller one is an orange and a blueish color with black spots. He/she is about 4 inches or so, not including the tail and the other one is slightly bigger at about 6 inches or so and is a mostly blue with yellow and black. When I introduced them to the pond the smaller one didn't have an issue,, but the larger one I felt was getting harassed by one of my larger goldies. He was following him around the pond and just wouldn't leave him alone. I'm not sure if he was getting bullied like the new kid on the playground or he was just trying to say hello. I really don't see the larger yellow shubunkin to much but the smaller one I do see swimming around from time to time and he or she seems to swim around fine with the other goldies. Today I seen the yellow one at the bottom of my pond next to the filter under that stupid rock and he wouldn't move for anything. it's been 5 days since I introduced the shubunkins to the pond. I figured by now everyone should be getting along fine. Do you think he might be stressed from getting bullied? or could it be that he's just a laid back shub that's very cool calm and collected? I see the big bright orange goldie that was harassing the shub swim around freely, like he's top dog of the pond, hes one of the bigger goldfish I have in their. Does anyone have suggestions or recommendations?
Thanks

 

[j.w]

Could be it is getting close to spawning season where the boys chase the girls and then lay the eggs and most eggs get eaten unless there is a nice place for egg hiding among plants/plant roots etc. They will really get crazy w/ the chasing as the weather warms up. You will think they are trying to kill each other but it is all natural and unless one female looks like she is really in trouble there is no need to worry. You can supply a floating netted ring to place her in for a rest now and then inside the pond. Put some floating plants in there so she'll feel more secluded. Then when she rested you can let her out again w/ the gang.

 

[oneman1pond]

Thanks for the info jw. I'm trying to observe them as much as I possibly can. I have a fountain in my pond as of right now so it's kind of hard to see the fish in the middle of the pond right now but I am working on a waterfall feature to take the fountains place. I will be keeping a careful eye on my fish and let you know if I notice anything else.
The weather here in NC is still kind of cold but it's supposed to warm up by the beginning of next week.
So the other question I have now is, do goldfish interbreed with each other? And what I mean by that is will the common/comet goldfish try and take one of my shub's to lover's lane?

 

[sissy]

sure could it is warmer in NC I was down there just the other day .They don't care who they breed with I have given away goldie and koi mixed breeds .You been spying on the lovers :razz:

 

[shakaho]

Did you quarantine the new fish?

That doesn't sound like normal behavior. I would be pulling the fish that is hiding under a rock and putting it in an aquarium for observation. It may be sick.

 

[oneman1pond]

no I didn't quarantine the new fish. I'm doing some research on that right now, thanx for the info. I didn't realize how important it is to quarantine new fish!

 

[sissy]

I do that with everything even plants .I clean all the roots of my plants .

 

[HARO]

Sure sounds like the new fish is a female being chased by a randy male! And btw, ALL goldfish are the same species ( Carrassius auratus ), so while they will all spawn with each other, technically they are not "interbreeding". Now a golfish and a koi will interbreed, as they are two different species!
John

 

[oneman1pond]

Im reading up on the importance right now. http://www.liveaquaria.com/general/general.cfm?general_pagesid=20im
Like I said before I am the "POND VIRGIN" I'm looking at getting a 30 gal quarantine tank right now. I went outside and observed the fish for about 10 minutes or so. what I noticed was that they seem to be a bit more active right now....maybe it's just me. The smaller Shub was still swimming about freely and the other one I found hiding behind a plant. He/she swam casualy into the middle of the pond and disappeared again (WTH) I looked and looked but I couldn't find it again. Instead of messing with them any further I figured I would let them be.
How do I quarantine plants? Also the plants that I got with the pond had algae (string algae) growing on them. I put them back in the pond.....was that a mistake? should I take them back out? I put some algae treatment in the pond the other day and from what I can tell it looks like the strings of algae that were green have turned a white-ish color. The fish don't or didn't seem to mind the plants, they actualy seem to be attracted to them. I have no idea what kind of aquatic plants they are I will take some pics so one of you gurus can identify them for me.
Again thank you for all the info, I deff came a long way from were I was but I still have a long way to go.

 

[oneman1pond]

oh yea, does the quarantine tank water have to be the same water that is in the pond?

 

[sissy]

You can go half and half on the tank ..It just sounds like your fish are getting used to there new home .I see that all the time on the pond sight .They will check out there new home for awhile and once they are used to it then they will get used to seeing you and associate you to feeding time .tank the plants out and clean the roots and pot well with a mixture of water and peroxide you sure don't want a big thing of string algae going already .But fish do love to eat it .I always wash my plants and soak the roots to get all the old soil off .Most use kitty litter to plant in .I never use algae treatment it says fish safe but I have seen to many ponders kill there fish .i use my quilt batting in a basket and soak and clean the quilt batting in peroxide and water .

 

[oneman1pond]

As soon as I can ill take the plants out and wash them and replant with kitty litter. Any type of specific litter? I think my cat uses something with oxy clean/fresh step....would that be safe for the fish? Also I'm buying a 55gal tank today for a quarantine take. Is that to big? I mean I still want the tank I just don't know if that's overkill for a quarantine tank. With that being said would it be wise to keep a few fish in that big of tank just so the kids can enjoy them while still serving as a quarantine set-up? I probably already know the answer to that but I still had to ask.

 

[sissy]

you need 100% clay kitty litter the cheapest stuff with no additives

 

[sissy]

better that size as you can always use it to hold extra plants .my extra plants in a stock tank and in a conrete mixing tub and i keep plants in my filters
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:52125]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:52124]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:52118]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:47567]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:47601]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:46717]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:46351]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:46352]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:46490]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:46549]
[sharedmedia=core:attachments:46548]

 

[Dave 54]

Obseriving your fish is a very important part of fish keepingnot just what you mentioned in your initial post but it is important to the health and well beiing of your fish too.
Learning to read them properly can tell you lots about your fishes health try to check them out each time you feed them looking for anything untoward as you arehow can I put this m.mmm well I suppose I could say you are their very first line of defence when it comes down to illness.
Be that viral, bacterial or parasitical so you need to know just what your looking for.
If your fish are lying on the bottom fins clamped nines out of ten this indicates you have a problem, with parasites
Fish gasping for air under a water fall normally says a problem with the water in the pond this is why we use test kits checking for Ammonia levels, Ph levels, Nitrite levels and Nitrate plus there are a miriad of other things you can test for KH GH etc
There are many other signs you can look for such as your fish loosing colour , fins shreading redness on the sides of your fish and much much more.
You'd need to start looking into health matters for them all.
I've posted a list of very good books mostly to do with health but there is one in that list about fish behaviour that I would along with a health book recomend to you to buy.
As j.w and sissy have already said QT in your fish, is what every fish keeper should do sadly you read time and time again about someone not bothering with QTing fish because of this have remained untreated for what ail's them and they die.
We have a rule of thunb when buying fish and that is, if there is so much as a split fin,fungal infection, missing scales in a tank or vat and you like a fish in there quite simply do not buy much as you'd like too.
That way you cant go wrong if you have too build a dedicated QT pond that you can readily treat your new fish in or a fish from the pond who has something non threatening.Howver if you have a major outbreak of say Ich then by all means treat in the pond itself.

rgrds

Dave