Pond - Fish question...

[scooby_doo_do]

At the weekend i decided to make the pond bigger in my new house... It's an old concrete thing that doesn't look like its ever been cleaned out. Since we've owned the house (november) we've not done anything too it.

 

So i was slightly amazed when i found 13 fish in it, and about 10, 6" long muscles.

 

I beleive the fish are just the basic goldfish type but have no idea. (biggest being 6" long, but they average i'd say 4")

 

So i've stuck all them in a dustbin with a plant...

 

question is, how long will they survice in there for? should they be ok?

 

Going to be about 3/4 weeks until i get the liner in and can put them back.

 

Thanks

 

craig.

[Martin J]

If you used the existing water from the pond, they should be OK for a while I'd imagine - although the bin probably isn't that large.

 

When you put them back just make sure you're careful with the temperatures as too big a fluctuation and they'll not be too happy...!

[scooby_doo_do]

yep - used exsisting water..

[ronttuk]

add air or they could suffocate a dustbin doesn't have much surface area

[catfish man]

you need to get a air pump and air hose ,air stone ASAP just moving them is enough to stress them

[fizzle]

put them in the bath and give em a bit more room!!

[Thorin]

What size bin are we talking? Regular old style outside dustbin? I'd say they'd be fine, they're not very big fish.

 

If they die just buy some more!

[Tricky-Ricky]

If its going to be 3-4 weeks i would bung an air pump on for good measure, and also do a small water change once a week.

 

(edit) the reason for the water change is due to the build up of ammonia which the fish produce, as there is no form of filtration it will build up, and this will also have an overall effect on the oxygen retention of the water, hence the air pump, hope this helps explain things.

Oh! and the mussels will die quite quickly with an ammonia build up.

[pedrosixfour]

I'd fry 'em.

 

Goldfish are grand on toast.

[Supra-Brett]

They should be fine as depth is OK, surface area is small though so oxygen transfer surface is hence small. Winter would be very bad in such conditions as the pretty much the whole surface of the in is above ground and although ice forms top down, it will form quicker and deeper. Add an oxygen pump in their for now to be sure they are OK, and use the same water too.

[gavin.starr]

Gold fish ara a hardy bunch, but as a minimum i would get an air stone in there, which will not only put oxygen into the water it will also circulate it too.

 

If they wer koi you would most certainly be putting them under stress.

 

What size pond ar you going for?

[Rob]

Could you not build the "extension" to a nearly complete level with the fish still in the original pond, then transfer them to the bin for a week to perform the "breakthrough and connection works" thus minimising their time in a bin?