What to feed a goldfish that's never been fed?

[miamicuse]

I have a pond with one surviving goldfish about 6 inches long. I thought all my fish died in the heat wave two months ago except one. Then after a few days he disappeared too, I looked for him for weeks and nothing, so I assumed a raccoon got him and we have no more fish left.

I cleaned out the entire pond last weekend. When the water went down from 24" to about 8" I saw the fish hiding in some string algae and I caught him. So now he is living in a Home Depot 5 gallon bucket until I finish with the pond rework which will take a few weeks. I set up a small pump with some air stones for now.

The problem is food. I have never fed these goldfish, they lived off whatever was in the pond, bacteria, algae, tadpoles, worms, crabs, whatever else...I gave him some dry fish food and he doesn't touch them. I am not sure he knows that's food.

[gray cat]

I think he will begin to eat. He may be stressed out now. Do you have something bigger to put him in?

[miamicuse]

I think he will begin to eat. He may be stressed out now. Do you have something bigger to put him in?

I am trying to find something bigger. The problem is I didn't know there is still a living fish in there so caught by surprise.

I have bigger containers but the issue is, I have to raccoon proof whatever I use. I have raccoons around and if they can get to the fish they will, right now I have a chicken wire mesh over the bucket and weighted down with several 2X4s with bricks so the coons cannot remove the top. So I will need to get some larger chicken wire contraption if the fish is to escape the coons.

[coolwon]

Have you thought of gold fish flakes?

[miamicuse]

Have you thought of gold fish flakes?

I tried both flakes and sticks and showed no interest whatsoever.

[gray cat]

Do you have a garage area that you could keep him inside until your pond is done?

[*Ci*]

A 6” goldfish is not going to do well in a 5 gal. bucket for a few weeks, filter or no, and feeding will make water conditions even worse, If you want this fish to survive you need to find a lager water container (20+gal rubbermaid tote, glass aquarium which you can often find used for cheap or free, even a half barrel… anything). Keep close track of ammonia and nitrite, do frequent waterchanges (50% per week), and feed sparingly. Put plants or caves in for the fish to feel safer. Goldfish will eat duckweed, and along with insect larvae (mosquitos) would sustain it while your pond gets done.