GreatDanesDad
Electro-Mechanical Engineer
Ok so I have been working on my pond for about 4 months. Posted pics in my last post. I have been really happy with it. About a 2 weeks ago, I was finally happy with the waterfall and everything. With the filter finally working great, I added beni-bacteria. After a week, the mosquitoes had found the pond and it was full of larva. Couldnt hardly see the lights at night due to so many swimming around.
So a week ago I added a few 1-2 inch butterfly koi. They were like little pin balls. They attacked those mosquitoes and had them ate within 24 hours. YAY.
Yesterday I took the plunge and bought two very large butterfly koi. The big one was very fat. 26 inches long. And the little one was a sleek 22 inches long. Pictures attached. They settled right into the pond. With in 8 hours they were swimming through the waterfall and very responsive to feeding. The previous owner said they would occasionally eat out of his hand. They would come with in a foot of my hand if I moved very slow. I was very happy.
This morning I go out to the check on the pond and feed the fish, and my heart sinks. The water is very cloudy and has like a film on the top, and there are a few scales in the bottom that I can see. Im watching the fish, and the smaller fish is following the bigger very similar to how a dog would follow and sniff another dogs butt. The Big fish is almost irritated. But the smaller fish is rubbing and mouthing the big fish constantly. The scales appear to be from the smaller fish. looks like three or four have fallen off. My first fear is that the fish has something on its scales that it is trying to rub off, but everything I read says that they would rub on the sides bottom or splash in the pond, not rub and nuzzle the the other fish.
I get out my pond tester. PH Wide range PH is 8. Ammonia is 0.25ppm. Nitrite is 0.25ppm. Phosphate is 0.25ppm. For a new pond I felt these were good numbers. I look more closely at my water fall and the water coming out of my filter is crystal clear. It is a double waterfall with a 50gallon pool after the first falls that, that overflows into the pond. It is just clear as day. So the filter in my mind is working properly.
Then I notice the orange "alge blooms" everywhere in the bottom of the pond.. I reach in to see what they are, and they are hard little "eggs" or they look almost exactly like eggs. They are everywhere. Fish in the pond for 24 hours and I have eggs!
NOW WHAT DO I DO? I dont know if the other fish is a male? I would love to see if they will fertilize and hatch. How awesome would that be. But my pond isnt mature. First, could this be the cause of the little one rubbing on the big one? Second what to koi eggs look like? Third, is it possible to check the sex of a large koi? Fourth do I worry that the little guys will eat the eggs? Fifth, is this going to really mess up my water chemistry? Sixth, could the film and cloudy water be because of the "not mother" trying to fertilize the eggs? I am new to this game, and I am very excited, but I need help!
So a week ago I added a few 1-2 inch butterfly koi. They were like little pin balls. They attacked those mosquitoes and had them ate within 24 hours. YAY.
Yesterday I took the plunge and bought two very large butterfly koi. The big one was very fat. 26 inches long. And the little one was a sleek 22 inches long. Pictures attached. They settled right into the pond. With in 8 hours they were swimming through the waterfall and very responsive to feeding. The previous owner said they would occasionally eat out of his hand. They would come with in a foot of my hand if I moved very slow. I was very happy.
This morning I go out to the check on the pond and feed the fish, and my heart sinks. The water is very cloudy and has like a film on the top, and there are a few scales in the bottom that I can see. Im watching the fish, and the smaller fish is following the bigger very similar to how a dog would follow and sniff another dogs butt. The Big fish is almost irritated. But the smaller fish is rubbing and mouthing the big fish constantly. The scales appear to be from the smaller fish. looks like three or four have fallen off. My first fear is that the fish has something on its scales that it is trying to rub off, but everything I read says that they would rub on the sides bottom or splash in the pond, not rub and nuzzle the the other fish.
I get out my pond tester. PH Wide range PH is 8. Ammonia is 0.25ppm. Nitrite is 0.25ppm. Phosphate is 0.25ppm. For a new pond I felt these were good numbers. I look more closely at my water fall and the water coming out of my filter is crystal clear. It is a double waterfall with a 50gallon pool after the first falls that, that overflows into the pond. It is just clear as day. So the filter in my mind is working properly.
Then I notice the orange "alge blooms" everywhere in the bottom of the pond.. I reach in to see what they are, and they are hard little "eggs" or they look almost exactly like eggs. They are everywhere. Fish in the pond for 24 hours and I have eggs!
NOW WHAT DO I DO? I dont know if the other fish is a male? I would love to see if they will fertilize and hatch. How awesome would that be. But my pond isnt mature. First, could this be the cause of the little one rubbing on the big one? Second what to koi eggs look like? Third, is it possible to check the sex of a large koi? Fourth do I worry that the little guys will eat the eggs? Fifth, is this going to really mess up my water chemistry? Sixth, could the film and cloudy water be because of the "not mother" trying to fertilize the eggs? I am new to this game, and I am very excited, but I need help!
