I got home from work yesturday and found my first floater in my pond. Felt sorry for the little guy. He was the only one in there that I had named. I had 5 Comets and 2 Shubunkens (sp?) and 5 trap door snails in my 600 gallon pond. This little guy was the runt of the comets, only about an inch and a half long, but he was the bravest and most curious! Right from the time I put them in a couple of weeks ago, the others would all rush to the deep end and hide when ever someone was around, be he usually stayed up in the shallow end, and would swim right around my hand if I had it in the water for some reason. I called him Napoleon.

I immediately tested the water for everything (although those stupid color coded test kits are of dubious use!), but everything seemed fine. He was probably sick when I got him at CrapMart (Walmart). Unfortunately that's the only place around here to buy fish.

Funny thing with the snails though. They had them labelled as Mystery Snails, but I was sure they were Trapdoor snails. So I looked at them several times over a few days period, then would look online checking out pictures, and I am still sure they are Trapdoors. Oh well, whatever they are there are 5 of them in my pond! hahaha

I'm sorry about Napoleon. If you post photos of your "mystery" snails, maybe we can tell you if they're a mystery or apple snails like most mystery snails or trapdoor snails if you're lucky.

Thanks Robyn, they disappeared to the deep end as soon as I put them in the pond, but every once in awhile I will see one out for a "walk" up to the shallow end. I'll net one the next time I see one doing that and get a picture. Obviously I could also be wrong, but for some reason the Wal Mart "specialists" working in the pet section don't fill me with a tremendous amount of confidence with their knowledge... :P :unsure:

Lost another comet. That's 2 of the 5 I put in a few weeks ago. Pond water all tests fine, so I have no idea why they died. The other comets and the shubunkens seem to be doing well (at the moment).

They didn't seem to be eating much, so I baught a different kind of food the other day and they really dig into that, so I am hoping that may have had something to do with it?

R3D, I am sorry to hear about your fishey "losses" That really sucks :-( We only have Walmart here to buy fish from too, but I have had 100% success...so far. Do you have aeration in your pond? My Mom used to lose fish before she put an aerator in. I hope the rest of your little guys do well :-) No comment on the fish garage....YET.....still in progress :blink:

I'm sorry you lost another fish.

The food would have to be pretty rancid to cause fish deaths. Aside from freshness, it's good to get a brand that the fish like, or, as you said, that they dig.

Yeah, I have a fountain in it (which I am changing to a falls next year). I think it was just a case of "feeder fish syndrome" honestly. Those 88 cent fish don't come with much of a warranty! hahaha....Oh well, the poor little guys are serving their purpose, and if a few hang on and make it to next year then that's a bonus.

;)

Derrick