By . Richard Spillett . and Andrew Levy . An unemployed couple who live off benefits with their 13 children have had hundreds of fish killed in their garden pond in a suspected grudge attack. Tim Fisk, 44, and Mandy Ball, 41, first attracted attention last year when their council house was combined with the one next door to create a seven-bedroom home. Last month they appeared in a television documentary where Mr Fisk threatened to have another child just to spite critics who accused them of sponging off the state. They have since complained of being subjected to verbal abuse and death threats because of their taxpayer-funded lifestyle. Scroll down for video . Tim Fisk says the fish pond at his family's six-bedroom council house has been poisoned in a hate campaign after his local authority were forced to knock two homes together to accommodate his brood . And it has now emerged that someone managed to break into their back garden in Ipswich, and poured a toxic chemical into their ornamental fish pond – killing 300 koi carp. The attack happened during the night of July 1, just eight days after the family appeared on Channel 5 programme Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole. Mr Fisk said: ‘The children went to play around the back garden and they saw all the fish were dead. Someone had chucked a load of bleach in my pond. ‘I just started crying because I love my fish. It’s disgusting to take it out on the poor fish. I’m upset about it and the children are as well.’ Mr Fisk has claimed that the fish were paid for when he worked as a security guard – and said he refused to be intimidated, adding: ‘I’m going to stand my ground. I have got a few more children – so what?’ But a neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: ‘It’s wrong for anyone to kill innocent fish but you have to wonder how someone on benefits can afford to keep 300 koi carp.’ Angry locals launched a petition to stop Mr Fisk and his family receiving the massive taxpayer-funded home . The father . of 13 insists that he is still unable to work as he has to care for his . 15-year-old son Daniel, who is blind in one eye and has learning . difficulties, and his partner Miss Ball, who suffers from depression. The . couple currently receive £53,000 in child tax credits, disability . living allowance, carer’s allowance, housing benefit and council tax . benefit every year. They . live with Sadie, 16, Daniel, Lauren, 13, Callum, 11, Kyle, ten, Elektra . Mae, five, Serenity, four, Jayden, three, Starlight, two,  14-month-old . Neatheus and Satin-Tia, seven months. Their . oldest daughters Charlie, 20, and Ashley, 18, have now moved out. During . the documentary, Mr Fisk said he was not going to be ‘dictated to and . told how many kids you can have'. The family, some of whom are pictured on holiday in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, say they've been abused after appearing in Channel 5 show 'Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole' He added: ‘Do you know what? I . think I’ll have another one.’ He also complained that the council had . not moved them to alternative accommodation while the £36,000 worth of . building work was being carried out. But dozens of locals have . petitioned Ipswich council to complain about the house, which also has . two bathrooms, a games room and a wet room. Police have been informed . that the fish were worth £1,000 and said they were treating the matter . as criminal damage. A Suffolk Police spokesman said: ‘It is believed . that a chemical substance was put in the pond water. As a result, 300 . koi carp died.’ He added: ‘There were bubbles on top of the water, . indicating that a chemical had been added. We are investigating and . appealing for any witnesses.’ According to members of the British Koi Keepers Society, koi carp can be bought for as little as £10 each in bulk, but for rarer varieties, owners can pay up to £20,000. An avid koi keeper in Malaysia recently paid around £180,000 for one fish, thought to be a record. To build and fit a fibreglass pond with heaters and filters can require as much as £15,000 and the extra cost of water and electricity to keep the pond heated and clean can put around £800 to £1,000 on top of owners' bills. Unheated pools cost less to maintain, but can still see water bills rise by about £400 a year due to the cost of changing 10 per cent of the water once a fortnight, as is recommended. The fish also need to be fed, with 15 koi eating their way through around £100 of pellets a year. The water should also be treated with medication, which costs around £50 to £100 a year.
Tim Fisk and his family sparked anger by getting six-bedroom council house .
They claim they have since been abused in the street and threatened .
But he has remained defiant, insisting: 'We are entitled to live anywhere'
He has now found his 300 fish floating dead in the huge home's garden pond .
Mr Fisk believes his pets were poisoned as part of vendetta against family .
Comes after the family appeared on Channel 5 Show 'Benefits Britain'
By . Richard Spillett . and Andrew Levy . An unemployed couple who live off benefits with their 13 children have had hundreds of fish killed in their garden pond in a suspected grudge attack. Tim Fisk, 44, and Mandy Ball, 41, first attracted attention last year when their council house was combined with the one next door to create a seven-bedroom home. Last month they appeared in a television documentary where Mr Fisk threatened to have another child just to spite critics who accused them of sponging off the state. They have since complained of being subjected to verbal abuse and death threats because of their taxpayer-funded lifestyle. Scroll down for video . Tim Fisk says the fish pond at his family's six-bedroom council house has been poisoned in a hate campaign after his local authority were forced to knock two homes together to accommodate his brood . And it has now emerged that someone managed to break into their back garden in Ipswich, and poured a toxic chemical into their ornamental fish pond – killing 300 koi carp. The attack happened during the night of July 1, just eight days after the family appeared on Channel 5 programme Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole. Mr Fisk said: ‘The children went to play around the back garden and they saw all the fish were dead. Someone had chucked a load of bleach in my pond. ‘I just started crying because I love my fish. It’s disgusting to take it out on the poor fish. I’m upset about it and the children are as well.’ Mr Fisk has claimed that the fish were paid for when he worked as a security guard – and said he refused to be intimidated, adding: ‘I’m going to stand my ground. I have got a few more children – so what?’ But a neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: ‘It’s wrong for anyone to kill innocent fish but you have to wonder how someone on benefits can afford to keep 300 koi carp.’ Angry locals launched a petition to stop Mr Fisk and his family receiving the massive taxpayer-funded home . The father . of 13 insists that he is still unable to work as he has to care for his . 15-year-old son Daniel, who is blind in one eye and has learning . difficulties, and his partner Miss Ball, who suffers from depression. The . couple currently receive £53,000 in child tax credits, disability . living allowance, carer’s allowance, housing benefit and council tax . benefit every year. They . live with Sadie, 16, Daniel, Lauren, 13, Callum, 11, Kyle, ten, Elektra . Mae, five, Serenity, four, Jayden, three, Starlight, two,  14-month-old . Neatheus and Satin-Tia, seven months. Their . oldest daughters Charlie, 20, and Ashley, 18, have now moved out. During . the documentary, Mr Fisk said he was not going to be ‘dictated to and . told how many kids you can have'. The family, some of whom are pictured on holiday in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, say they've been abused after appearing in Channel 5 show 'Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole' He added: ‘Do you know what? I . think I’ll have another one.’ He also complained that the council had . not moved them to alternative accommodation while the £36,000 worth of . building work was being carried out. But dozens of locals have . petitioned Ipswich council to complain about the house, which also has . two bathrooms, a games room and a wet room. Police have been informed . that the fish were worth £1,000 and said they were treating the matter . as criminal damage. A Suffolk Police spokesman said: ‘It is believed . that a chemical substance was put in the pond water. As a result, 300 . koi carp died.’ He added: ‘There were bubbles on top of the water, . indicating that a chemical had been added. We are investigating and . appealing for any witnesses.’ According to members of the British Koi Keepers Society, koi carp can be bought for as little as £10 each in bulk, but for rarer varieties, owners can pay up to £20,000. An avid koi keeper in Malaysia recently paid around £180,000 for one fish, thought to be a record. To build and fit a fibreglass pond with heaters and filters can require as much as £15,000 and the extra cost of water and electricity to keep the pond heated and clean can put around £800 to £1,000 on top of owners' bills. Unheated pools cost less to maintain, but can still see water bills rise by about £400 a year due to the cost of changing 10 per cent of the water once a fortnight, as is recommended. The fish also need to be fed, with 15 koi eating their way through around £100 of pellets a year. The water should also be treated with medication, which costs around £50 to £100 a year.
the state. They have since complained of being pond at his family's six-bedroom council house family appeared on Channel 5 programme Benefits Britain: Life on the Dole. Mr Fisk said: ‘The they saw all the fish were dead. Someone had and his family receiving the massive that he is still unable to work as he has to care Norfolk, say they've been abused after appearing in Channel 5 show 'Benefits Britain: Life on the been added. We are investigating and . appealing