My goldfishes are gathered at the bottom of the pond?

[Canardroti]

I live in Southern California and the water of my pond is at 75 degree or so.
Lately, my goldfishes and fancy goldfishes are all gathered together either at the bottom of the pond "hiding"? , or they're at the top like they're breathing for oxygen.
I have never seen that before and I have had the pond for 1 year.

I am not sure what it means, but my dad bought 2 African Cichlids and put them in the pond. THey are about 2 inches big. I know they are aggressive fish but the pond is about 300 gallon with alot of spaces to hide and alot of Water hyacinths and plants to hide.
Are my goldfish being terrorized to death? I have also lost 5 fancy goldfish lately too!
Any help is appreciated,
I also notice some RED eye on my goldfishes who died.

 

[koikeepr]

Hmmm...lots of issues here.

If they are gasping for air at top, it means that you've got a lack of oxygen in the pond. You really need an air pump.

It also could be that you have too many hyacinths, so at night they create lots of C02 and can deplete oxygen levels too much. So, you might want to remove some. Some folks on this site will tell you that they have nearly 100% plant coverage. That's fine if you've got great water parameters and good air. Sounds like you also may not do frequent water changes, so your water might be depleted of oxygen. Do you change out 20% of the water each week?

If they are hiding below, they could have had a predator visit them.

African cichlids are aggressive fish, and don't belong with gentle goldfish. Cichlids also need a bit of salt in the water based on the natural waters they come from. Also, not sure what your temps get like in winter, but cichlids are warm water fish, and like water to be maintained in the 75-80 range. You live in LA, so you might have that year round.

Do you have a photo of the red eye?

What is your filtration? You don't mention that. We need lots more info, please, to help you.

 

[Canardroti]

Thank you for your help.
I would say 70% of the hyacinth are covering my pond, I have two water lilies pot.
I have 3 fishes that been literally sitting at the bottom of my pond not moving but breathing. They do swim if I bug them but they seem to not want to move.

Since it has been hot lately and lose about 3 inches of water a week, I have been adding water to refill the pond, does that count as a water change?

I use a water pump and I believe it's a 400 gallon per hour type of pump.

The Cichlids will be moved inside once the water Temp drops below 70.

I do not have a picture of the red eye,but I have heard it's a common disease among goldfishes? Like the upper eye part , the eye lid is red..or maybe it has been there all the time and I have never noticed.

There isn't much algae in my pond and I do not use algaefix.

Is it possible that the Cichlids my dad bought came from a store that carried bacteria with the fishes? Also do Cichlids eat feeder fish that are half the size of them? I have bought a 15 and I have found 5 deads but the rest just vanished.

As far as a predator coming ,I have only seen sparrow coming to take a drink but never seen a heron,racoon or a possum near my garden.

 

[koikeepr]

You don't describe how big your goldfish are, but a 2" cichlid could not eat a goldfish of equal size. They are big bullies tho, and can certainly torture a poor calm goldfish until the thing is so stressed out that it dies. Are the goldies much smaller than your cichlids? If so, then, yes, they could be eaten.

With 15 fish having vanished, it is my opinion you've got a predator you just haven't seen yet. Many of us have had predators show up and we've known they've been there (hence the missing fish), but never actually see the culprit. This can go on a long time and you just never see the darn animal that is doing the damage.

For example, in my old upper pond, I had flagstones as cap stones and I would place fist sized rocks around the top so another animal could not sit there and stalk my goldfish. Maybe 50 or a 100 times I would come to the pond to find a stone or two in the pond, and occasionally one of the flagstones laying in the pond. I have no idea what the predator was (probably a raccoon I'm guessing), but I do know something was there.

So, take precaution and protect your pond. We have endless threads here about how to protect the pond from predators. You can net it, string fishing line in a zig zag over top, buy one of them scarecrow thingees that shoots a spray of water at anything that moves around the pond (including you).

You did not respond to my questions about filtration, air, etc.

 

[Canardroti]

I have a water pump that has one of those sponge filter around it, is that what you're talking about?
The pump and the end of the tube where the water comes out are both at the opposite sides of the pond.


If so, I cleaned that thing every two weeks or so.

I don't have an air pump.

The goldfishes were about the same size if not a bit bigger than the cichlids.
They had been there for over a year and suddenly died one by one :-/

I have 1 koi left 8 inches, 3 Goldfishes about 5 inches each and 2 african cichlids that are 2 inches.

many mosquito fishes and 2 tadpole bullfrogs that I put 2 months ago which don't have legs yet and are harmless to the fish i assume for now.

All my dead goldfishes have been given to my turtle that stays inside.

 

[koikeepr]

So, you are basically saying you have no filtration. The little sponge is to protect the pump from receiving large debris into it so it doesn't damage the impeller. That offers no filtration. A pump just moves water around (and it should be to a filter), it does not itself filter anything.

Based on what you're saying, as aggressive as Cichlids are known to be, they have not eaten your gfish based on what you are saying. I'm not going to say they couldn't have bullied/stressed them. It truly does sound like you have a predator visiting you in terms of the disappearing fish. But that does not account for the 5 that just died.

Do you do 20% water changes each week? Have you tested your water with a test kit?

I think what's happening is that the toxic levels have finally built up in your pond over the last year and have reached rough proportions, so you are losing fish. A pond is a captured body of water, and it requires not just mechanical filtration, but also bio filtration--plus, regular water changes to flush out the impurities. Just like flushing a toilet at home. And, no, water dissipating and then you refilling it with a hose does not count as a water change.

I'm sure in that aquarium you were talking about earlier, you had a filter, correct?

Well a pond needs one too. Particularly one with koi and goldfish as they are monster poopers. Please visit our DIY section, as we have a number of great plans for DIY pond filters for any size pond--even a small one like yours. If you feel that you'd rather buy something off the shelf, we can certainly recommend something to you as well.

But you need to act quickly and get yourself a filter, but also consider some predator control too.