Lost koi over this winter

[Norfolkpond]

I just lost 7 large (about 18 inches) koi fish this winter They have been fine for the last few winters..........perhaps they were too big for my pond this year and this winter was extremely cold . I was stupid not to set up the de-icers or some other problems caused their death.
Thanks for all your guys posts and I need to find out what went to wrong before buying new koi.

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our forum!

So Sorry!

How big is your pond? Koi needs lots of water and filtration. Where are you located?
Can you post some pictures of your set up?

 

[mrsclem]

Did your pond freeze over completely? How many gallons in the pond and how many fish? It could be the koi have just got too big for the filtration. Sorry- it's hard when you loose fish.

 

[GBBUDD]

By your statement you had no pond breather so i am guessing there was also no air stone?

Look at it as your in your home and someone completely wraps the house in plastic , your goingt o be able to breath for some time expecialy if your like your fish where as the water gets cold your body shuts down breathing is less then a 1/4 of that in the summer. eventualy your going to deplete the oxygen and the first to feel the effect of this is the big boys,

 

[Gemma]

So sorry for your loss!

I know how it feels to lose a lot/all fish, I've been there not once, not twice but three times, in the first few years having a pond.
Once I lost all my largest koi, I learned it was due to oxygen depravation, I fixed the problem by enlarging the pond, adding a powerful aerator that runs 24/7, 365/yr and decreasing the number of fish in the pond.
Another time I left the hose in the pond after a water change, thinking I would finish in the morning but somehow the water got syphoned out completely...another lesson learned the hard way
Then there's the time that hubby built a bridge to put in the pond and give the fish some shade...it looked great, but we didn't take into consideration that treated wood would leak arsenic in the water, so every time it rained it poisoned the fish a little, until one day they all died.
Every time we've lost fish due to our ignorance we've felt awful, and still do, but all we can really do is learn from our mistakes and try to do better.

 

[Norfolkpond]

Welcome to our forum!

So Sorry!

How big is your pond? Koi needs lots of water and filtration. Where are you located?
Can you post some pictures of your set up?

Thanks! We are living in Boston area, MA
It is a oval shaped pond, about 8 feet x 15 feet, the deepest site is only 3 feet depth. I don't know how much water it holds

 

[Norfolkpond]

So sorry for your loss!

I know how it feels to lose a lot/all fish, I've been there not once, not twice but three times, in the first few years having a pond.
Once I lost all my largest koi, I learned it was due to oxygen depravation, I fixed the problem by enlarging the pond, adding a powerful aerator that runs 24/7, 365/yr and decreasing the number of fish in the pond.
Another time I left the hose in the pond after a water change, thinking I would finish in the morning but somehow the water got syphoned out completely...another lesson learned the hard way
Then there's the time that hubby built a bridge to put in the pond and give the fish some shade...it looked great, but we didn't take into consideration that treated wood would leak arsenic in the water, so every time it rained it poisoned the fish a little, until one day they all died.
Every time we've lost fish due to our ignorance we've felt awful, and still do, but all we can really do is learn from our mistakes and try to do better.

Thanks for sharing !
You have learned all those lessons in such painful ways . This is my first time and I cannot stopping blaming myself.

 

[Norfolkpond]

Thanks for sharing !
You have learned all those lessons in such painful ways . This is my first time and I cannot stopping blaming myself.

 

[Norfolkpond]

Did your pond freeze over completely? How many gallons in the pond and how many fish? It could be the koi have just got too big for the filtration. Sorry- it's hard when you loose fish.

THank you!
Yes, the pond was completed frozen I believe. Not sure how many gallon water in the pond. I had 7 koi (the size range from 16~20 inches

 

[Gemma]

Thanks for sharing !
You have learned all those lessons in such painful ways . This is my first time and I cannot stopping blaming myself.

All you can do is try to learn as much as possible and do your best, it will get easier.
Your pond is beautiful, but from the pic, it looks too small for koi, that could be your problem right there

 

[Gemma]

THank you!
Yes, the pond was completed frozen I believe. Not sure how many gallon water in the pond. I had 7 koi (the size range from 16~20 inches

There should always be an opening in the ice, for gases to vent

 

[Norfolkpond]

By your statement you had no pond breather so i am guessing there was also no air stone?

Look at it as your in your home and someone completely wraps the house in plastic , your goingt o be able to breath for some time expecialy if your like your fish where as the water gets cold your body shuts down breathing is less then a 1/4 of that in the summer. eventualy your going to deplete the oxygen and the first to feel the effect of this is the big boys,

You're right.
I don't have pond breather.I do have the air stones but I only use them in the summer time ...........It's clearly I suffocated all my fish!

 

[GBBUDD]

It's a possibility, but there can be a host of other issues as well

 

[mrsclem]

THank you!
Yes, the pond was completed frozen I believe. Not sure how many gallon water in the pond. I had 7 koi (the size range from 16~20 inches

Looks like about 2500 gallons, ok for a couple of large koi. What type of filtration do you use?

 

[Norfolkpond]

All you can do is try to learn as much as possible and do your best, it will get easier.
Your pond is beautiful, but from the pic, it looks too small for koi, that could be your problem right there

Agree, thank you!