BACK

Emergency First Aid for Fish

Let’s hope this never happens! You go to your pond to feed your fish and find them gasping for breath or floating on top.

 

 

 

Emergency Steps -If your fish are dying, don’t panic but follow these steps:

  • Test the Water — ammonia / nitrites / pH / oxygen levels
  • Make notes of live fish behavior
  • Remove all dead fish
  • Perform a 50% water change - Add dechlorinator!
  • Remove as many plants as you can and perform a salt treatment

Water Tests - Review test results.

  • The ammonia should be 0.
  • The nitrites should be 0.
  • pH should be between 6.8 and 8.0

Fish Behavior

Are they gulping for air? Swimming properly? Spiraling? What was done to the pond, if anything that could attribute to the problem? Is there any film on the water or does the water feel strange?

Dispose of Dead Fish

Unless you’re willing to take the fish to a University for an autopsy, there’s nothing we can draw from a dead fish. Do note if the eyes look sunken, if there are any apparent ulcers, if the skin is peeling or if the fins are ragged. Get them out quickly. They will trash the water quality.

Perform a Water Change

Chances are something is wrong with the pond environment even if all water tests indicate no problem exists. It could be run-off or over-spray from insecticides or low dissolved oxygen levels in the pond. Either way, this is the time to perform a water change. DO NOT forget to add dechlorinator if you are using tap water which is most often treated with chlorine.

Perform a Salt Treatment

Non-iodized, pure salt is inexpensive and so effective! Once you have changed your water out put in 3 lbs. of non-iodized, mineral-free salt per 100 gallons of water. This will encourage the production of the fish’s protective slime layer by natural means. We do not recommend using any product that artificially produces a slime coat, especially during an emergency. It will coat the fish’s gills also taxing it’s ability to breathe.

Emergency First Aid Kit

Here’s what you should always have on hand just in case:

Now here is a simple table you can use to diagnose and treat some of the more common ailments for pond fish.