Bed-Stuy Fish Pond Is Back With Major Upgrades Following Wreck

UPDATE, Oct. 25, 9:00 a.m.: The fish pond was filled in with concrete early Friday morning. More information on that here. The original article from Thursday is below.

BROOKLYN, NY — The fire hydrant providing a steady dribble of water to Bed-Stuy's beloved makeshift fish pond was shut off by Fire Department officials on Tuesday during a routine inspection, killing dozens of little orange fish, organizers said on social media.

But, the pond's neighbors and stewards are already rebuilding it with significant improvements, including a caulk-sealed durable plastic pond liner so that water doesn't constantly have to run for the fish to survive.

Since Tuesday, organizers have dug the pond deeper into the ground and it now accommodates a foot of water. Previously, the pond was only 3 inches deep.

"The fire department came over here and they turned the hydrant off, and then they drained it and left the fish in there with no water. The fish died. Mind you, before they did this, the pond was only like 3 inches deep, but now it's a foot deep, so there is plenty of room for the new fish to swim around in," Vance Brooks, a Bed-Stuy local and pond visionary, said. "Everything is coming along good."

The organizers are also working to add a heater and a shelter to the pond to keep the fish swimming as the cold sets in.

It all started back in August, when three men added $15 worth of goldfish to a puddle next to a leaking fire hydrant at the corner of Tompkins Avenue and Hancock Street in Bed-Stuy.

The pond quickly accumulated a large fanbase, international media attention, and, with it, a website, a newsletter, a Google Maps listing, a GoFundMe page that has raised more than $3,500, an Instagram and a TikTok account with 24,000 followers.

Thanks to its fans, the pond has also accumulated a large seating area, a little lending library, a large banner that says "Bed-Stuy Aquarium," a solar-powered water filter, several plastic figurines including a rubber duck, a statue of liberty, three treasure chests and dozens of painted shells and rocks.

"It’s just really cute to see all the people hanging out here," Tiffany Sheehan, who lives across the street, said. "I’ve seen a lot of people just talk and hang out here, all different people. It's just brought some nice community."

This is not the first trial the pond has faced. In August, a woman took dozens of fish out of the pond in the middle of the night in the name of animal rights, and in September, the FDNY made its first attempt to fix the leak, but the hydrant was turned back on less than an hour later by some neighbors.

According to Brooks, new goldfish will be added to the pond on Thursday afternoon.

The FDNY did not yet respond to a request for comment.