<p>I stopped by the Roth Quad pond on my home the other day and saw some giant fish (Koi?) in the pond. I spent some time looking at them. They were stirring up mud near the shore of the pond. Every time I moved close enough, they would swim away. The geese didn't care though, they would walk around me. One time some young geese tried to touch the fish and both got pretty frightened.</p>
<p>Don't and I mean don't touch them. That pond is hazardous. Someone died in there this yr during the Roth regatta.</p>
<p>I also like the Ashley Schiff preserve. The local elementary school nearby also has a nature preserve. Lot's of nature around stony brook in suburbia.</p>
<p>I don't think the fish would wish to be touched, but it's not like I would die. I read that someone did die this year in the newspaper, but it's not like the pond killed him.</p>
<p>No it did. It is toxic. He died from anopholaxis. You would be surprised what goes on in that pond and what can be found there. Trust me, I live in Roth so I would know.</p>
<p>what did he do, drink the water? I don't know. with all the those lilies, how do they do a boat race?</p>
<p>also, how is water pumped into the pond? I don't see any inlet or outlet so I guess the water is rather stagnant.</p>
<p>edit: do not mean to sound callous about drinking the water.</p>
<p>He may have. Beats me. They did. Water is not pumped into the pond. It is always there. They sometimes open a fire hydrant nearby and let water flow in. That may have been used for cleaning purposes.</p>
<p>alright, maybe stephen was a hyper allergenic type of person but I have a hard time believing there's actual toxins in a pond with living things in it.</p>
<p>a komodo dragon's saliva is toxic.... and the lizard is alive</p>
<p>how does that even relate? that's one animal and itself. there's an entire ecosystem of sorts in the pond with the plants, the fish, the geese, and probably smaller fauna.</p>
<p>anaphylaxis is due to an allergic reaction. if the pond was really toxic there would be a notice, or it would be drained</p>
<p>from wikipedia: </p>
<p>An estimated 1.24% to 16.8% of the population of the United States is considered "at risk" for having an anaphylactic reaction if they are exposed to one or more allergens, especially penicillin and insect stings. Most of these people successfully avoid their allergens and will never experience anaphylaxis. Of those people who actually experience anaphylaxis, up to 1% may die as a result.[3] Anaphylaxis results in approximately 18 deaths per year in the U.S. (compared to 2.4 million deaths from all causes each year in the U.S.[4]). The most common presentation includes sudden cardiovascular collapse (88% of reported cases of severe anaphylaxis).</p>
<p>poor guy :(</p>
<p>What on earth... blazinyan300, don't spread a ridiculous rumor about why that kid died. If Roth Pond were toxic to that extent, don't you think at least one other person, of the hundreds of people who've been in the pond for the regatta every year for 20 years, would have suffered some ill effects? I have no idea where you got the idea that he died of anaphylaxis, since none of the media about the death said that and none of the people I know who were friends with him have heard that, but even if that was the case, it says nothing about the toxicity of the pond. People have anaphylactic reactions to all sorts of things, but we don't call peanuts, milk, or eggs "toxic".</p>
<p>Roth Pond is gross, sure. That's because people are idiots and put garbage where it doesn't belong. They do clean it out a bit before the regatta though, and despite stupid rumors to the contrary, touching the pond is NOT GOING TO KILL YOU. Building a boat and being in it for the regatta is one of the most fun things I've ever done, and is definitely something I think everyone should be a part of before they graduate :)</p>