Utterly, ridiculously heartbroken over grim death of outdoor goldfish. Please help me understand what happened!

[Chattypetey1]

Please help me understand…

Bought this house last year with small 1m pond. Was very surprised to find a huge goldfish swimming about that wasn’t on the particulars. Anyway, he looked a bit lonely and the pond was filthy so we spruced it up, got a filter and bought him a girlfriend and they have been living in happy harmony ever since. They are so lovely to watch and the whole family love them.

We went to a family festival for 4 days and I got them a pet mate feeder which fed them a sprinkle of their regular food every day, but came back today and the pond is almost black with slime all over the top and two, long deceased, fly ridden goldfish.

I can’t believe it, I am so upset which I know sounds silly but they were loved pets and must have died a horrible death, I am also at a complete loss about what happened. I’d only cleaned their pond a few weeks ago, the filter was on and it was sparkling, The water now stinks and it was like a crime scene, it was such a shock- in only 4 days.

Anyone got any theories?

Could the feeder have malfunctioned and put too much food in the pond, which could then have started to rot? I’m sorry you came back to such an awful scene.

Is it possible the water over heated? I don't think it would take long in a pond that size in the right circumstances.
Sorry about your fish- they are lovely animals.

How horrible. I’m sorry for your loss.

i wonder if the heat had anything to do with it? Heat plus too much food?

It’s really odd.

When we were away earlier this year, our indoor fish died under similar circumstances, and it was really horrible too. It smelled as if a person had died. 😢😢😢

my h has kept fish for 30 years and has never experienced this before. Really odd.

Must be the heat? Sorry thats awful for you

Is it a secure garden? Could it have been vandalism of some kind? Horrid thought but maybe if people o knew you were away?