Heatwave Claims Two Fish on Joralemon Street

By on July 4, 2010 6:20 pm in Pets

2010-07-04-181217

Temperatures were in the mid-90s today in Brooklyn Heights and it proved fatal for at least two nishikigoi fish in the pond on Joralemon and Henry.  A reader sent in this dispatch earlier this afternoon:

I was just stopped by a mature, concerned citizen at the corner of Joralemon and Henry. He was very upset that the koi pond’s water had been turned off (i.e. no water was circulating). It seems like without the water filtration system running, the water might be too hot — at least two of the fish were dead, and the concerned neighbor said there was a third one dead.

He said he’d tried to ring the owner’s buzzer, but no one answered. I brought him two trays of ice and he tossed them in the koi pond — but if the weather continues to be in the 90s, more fish might die!

If you have any way to alert the owners, I’m sure the fish would appreciate it.

BHB’s Qfwfq and Claude Scales raced to the scene to see if anyone in the building could help.  No one answered. DEVELOPING…

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  • ashton

    sounds like perhaps the pump stopped. Without that, the fish die of lack of oxygen, not heat. These are warm water fish but they need oxygenated water.

  • CHer

    Please call Animal Control!

  • KG

    Jarolemon Street at the Municipal Bldg you can retrieve the owner name of the building. Calling 311 for advice as to what to do about the homicide of the innocent fish, and how to contact the neighbors, perhaps by ringing bells of those that live attached to or across from these irresponsible, money saving most likely on vacation persons and/or the police may need to intervene if there are no responses as to where they may be or how to contact them. Perhaps animal rights or the ASPCA do need to confiscate these tortured creatures.

  • Bob Scott

    The water was back on this morning, and two dead fish were removed. The building owner was on the scene tending to his pool, and was quite unhappy about the loss of his fish.

    Give the guy a break. His pool AND HIS BUILDING are among the best maintained in the Heights.

  • Cat

    Wow, KG, chill dude. If you knew anything about this property, you would know that the owner takes very good care of his pond and his fish. As Bob noted above, the problem has been resolved and the owner obviously was unaware that the pump wasn’t working. Geez.

  • bornhere

    Cat and Bob are point-on: the owner of that house is almost obsessive about its appearance and upkeep. He is away at times, but he normally has someone tend to day-to-day maintenance. The idea that anyone would ever define him as “irresponsible” is, um, irresponsible. Although the more I read the post by KG, the more it seems to be a riff on overreaction and not meant to be taken seriously.

  • shamrock

    Bob Scott, Cat and bornhere, couldn’t agree with you more. This property has always been maintained unbelievably well.

    The fish pond/fountain (crafted quite well I might add) has a wonderful little personality of its own. Most likely owner found it upsetting returning home to find the problem and the loss of his fish.

  • Jeri, pond lady

    I did a search on heat wave effecting koi and this article came up. I had a terrible experience a few years ago during a heat wave and wondered if anyone was putting out warnings for koi/pond fish owners. During a heat wave, I lost 1, then 2,then 2 more, then 4 large comets in four days. After the first two days, I did a partial water change thinking I needed to cool down the water as it was my oldest and largest fish that died first. But it was a nitrogen spike caused by the heat and the way it effects water chemistry in ponds. At no time did my pump stop circulating but the nitrogen imbalance kept effecting the largest fish and I lost them all. Hopefully, the folks taking care of what sounds like a great pond will do more than replace a pump and test the water too. Just had to throw in my two cents worth in case it helps.