Dead Goldfish in tub pond..Please help!

[2dogs2000]

Sorry to hear about your goldfish.

The aquatic centre that I use are firmly against any kind of brick to raise water plants as they interfere with the water.

[Naturenutz]

some very good advice given in this thread,and that is a very good point about goldfish surviving in the small bowls,although they were often kept without any plants , hence no oxygen depletion ,and water was often partially changed fortnightly.Many modern koi ponds are completely plant free and have plenty of oxygen added through large airstones.My goldfish appear to enjoy the extra air in the koi pond , unlike stagnant ponds they are very active.

[animartco]

Good advice Brocakat. What the pond is made of matters a lot. BUt also the thing that most people seem to forget. It is NOt the volume of water that matters IT IS THE SURFACE AREA, unless you have constant aeration, and a barrel is ot a suitable container for this reason and also because insufficient light penetrates to the bottom, causing the build-up of harmful fauna. I agree that suffocation was probably the cause but possibly also the introduction of fish leeeches or lernea on the weeds.

[Kayleigh]

I had 2 goldfish in my barrel for 3 years (summer only) as they spent the winter in the big pond..
I had a water tester and tested on a regular basis, I eventually re homed the fish with my friends goldfish.

I also had 6 goldfish in my horses trough to keep down the midge population..
They were in the trough for two years and survived quite happily no plants just a water change once a week.

[animartco]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

I had 2 goldfish in my barrel for 3 years (summer only) as they spent the winter in the big pond..
I had a water tester and tested on a regular basis, I eventually re homed the fish with my friends goldfish.

I also had 6 goldfish in my horses trough to keep down the midge population..
They were in the trough for two years and survived quite happily no plants just a water change once a week.

Kayleigh the goldfish were only in the barrel in the summer when light levels are high, and presumeably it was cleaned out before they were reintroduced after the winter? A horse trough is the right shape for a pond although overheating could be a problem if it is fully exposed to the sun. I don't know the exact ruling but certainly a container should never be as deep as it is wide and at least twice as wide as the depth is more useful for keeping it free of undesirable flora and fauna. Also of course there is an enormous difference in the amount of fish you can keep in any space if you have aeration.
Another caveat. You should always provide a means of escape to anything that falls into the container. If it has straight sides then provide, some sort of plastic rope ladders, at intervals around it so that a hedgehog for instance, is able to climb out. Bits of garden netting, trailing plants whatever fits the bill so long as it is not harmful to the fish