Author Topic: Samson Died... (Read 4195 times)

Dianna · « **on:** Jul 02, 2010, 07:23:28 PM »

and I am wondering what caused it.

I went to the pond to feed the fish and I noticed him floating by the pump. I scooped him out...

Could the new plants I put in be the culprit? It looked like one side of his body has been descaled.

Should I put Delilah in the other pond? It has new plants in it, too....

I will be burying him underneath the sunflowers...

Tina · « **Reply #1 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 07:33:30 PM »

I am sorry, Dianna. You may never know the cause or the culprit. But most pond plants will not hurt your fish. It is sad.

sunsoaker · « **Reply #2 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 07:35:28 PM »

I am so sorry Dianna. I wouldn't begin to have a clue what might've happened. Hope delilah is ok.

Dianna · « **Reply #3 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 07:43:46 PM »

Thank you both. I feel bad for poor little Samson and I am worried about Delilah now..

Jim just got home from work and he said that it looks like the sun bleached Samson's skin while he was floating, that he didn't lose his scales. We buried him under the sunflowers...

Samson and Delilah were just feeder fish when we got them in 2005. How long is the life expectancy of a goldfish? Could he have died of old age?

Triss · « **Reply #4 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 08:02:17 PM »

I am so sorry to hear that Dianna... I know how much you loved both of your fish.

barleychown · « **Reply #5 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 08:03:07 PM »

Oh Dianna, I'm sorry! It could have just been his time...

Penny · « **Reply #6 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 08:15:40 PM »

Awww, thats so sad Dianna......i was always told that the life of a fish was 1 year to 18months, so i would say that Samson had a good life.
Will you get another for Delilah?

Tina · « **Reply #7 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 08:25:33 PM »

I went search for the longevity. Under ideal conditions they can live up to and over 20 years. But that has not been my experience in my pond.

Penny · « **Reply #8 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 08:30:09 PM »

Oh wow really, 20 years, thats incredible.........it still sounds like natural causes.

Dianna · « **Reply #9 on:** Jul 02, 2010, 11:02:30 PM »

Thank you all...

I don't know whether I should get a new fish or not. I looked at some tonight, but I am afraid that if it is something going on in the pond, that now would not be the right time to do it. I think I will wait until I see if Delilah comes down with something...

I really don't want Delilah to get lonely, so will be buying another to keep her company after I can make sure that the water isn't the problem...

bayou girl · « **Reply #10 on:** Jul 03, 2010, 06:56:04 PM »

i'm sorry dianna. my experience is that mine would last 2-3 years, if they didn't get fished out by a critter. so that they lasted this long w/o any problems tells me it was probably just his time.

Dianna · « **Reply #11 on:** Jul 03, 2010, 09:22:42 PM »

Quote from: Tina on Jul 02, 2010, 08:25:33 PM

I went search for the longevity. Under ideal conditions they can live up to and over 20 years.

I am striving for ideal conditions, Tina. I want mine to live longer than I will. I don't like losing pets...

Jennifer, I have had Samson and Delilah for five years...

I asked Jim earlier today that if he thought that maybe me feeding them the flying ants out of our pool could have caused Samson to die. I have fed them the ants before, hoping it would give them extra protein and something fresher than their regular food. I have always done that though, so he doesn't think that could have killed him. I just wish I knew for sure.

When we got home today, I went out to feed Delilah. I was afraid I would find her floating. Happily, she came right up to eat her supper and she seemed fine still...

Tina · « **Reply #12 on:** Jul 03, 2010, 09:44:53 PM »

I doubt the ants were the issue. The fish will eat any bugs skittering on their water.

Dianna · « **Reply #13 on:** Jul 03, 2010, 09:50:56 PM »

Thanks for that, Tina. I have been feeling guilty and wondering if it was something I did that caused Samson to die...

bayou girl · « **Reply #14 on:** Jul 03, 2010, 10:18:39 PM »

dianna, i'm sure it was just old age. really.

Tina · « **Reply #15 on:** Jul 03, 2010, 10:22:58 PM »

If it were something environmental like a chemical got into the water or something, then it would have taken both fish pretty much at the same time. I do not think it was something you did.

Dianna · « **Reply #16 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 01:03:44 AM »

Thank you both. I am hoping that old age is the case. Maybe my feeder fish were older than what I thought they were when I got them. Sure hope they were fifteen...

Wrennie · « **Reply #17 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 10:07:03 AM »

Feeder fish are bred for food. Not longevity. Usually they arent expected to live nearly as good a life as you give them. Sorry you lost Samson.

Dianna · « **Reply #18 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 11:13:40 AM »

Thank you, Wrennie...

I will wait a week while watching Delilah. If nothing happens to her during that time, I will be going to go get her another playmate...

barleychown · « **Reply #19 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 12:08:03 PM »

Dianna, when you do get anouther, be sure to keep him seperate from Delilah for at the LEAST a week, but preferably three weeks. I would hate for you to accidently bring home a sick fish and infect Delilah.

You said your ponds are seperate, right? Maybe put the new one in the empty one, that way it still all established with good bacteria to give it a healthy place to live...

Dianna · « **Reply #20 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 02:21:17 PM »

Thanks for telling me that, Sarah. I will keep them separate for three weeks if that is best for them.

Should I buy a larger fish than a feeder size, since Delilah is so big? I would hate for her to eat her playmate. Would that be a danger?

barleychown · « **Reply #21 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 02:49:58 PM »

Not at all...but just for looks, I'd go with the bigger of the feeder fish. Or do a group of three small ones...

bayou girl · « **Reply #22 on:** Jul 04, 2010, 02:56:57 PM »

sarah, i was thinking the same thing. getting a couple instead of just one.

News:

Author Topic: Samson Died... (Read 4195 times)