Friend has a Sick Koi

[Tula]

My koi spawned the other day ( totally bunking my believe I had all males) and they look a lot like this fish I'm trying with plants in floating baskets etc, as my koi, just destroy my pond plants. If I see more spawning behavior, I'll try a cotton mop.

I've done water changes and upped the aeration....they all seem fine so far.

 

[Dave 54]

My koi spawned the other day ( totally bunking my believe I had all males) and they look a lot like this fish I'm trying with plants in floating baskets etc, as my koi, just destroy my pond plants. If I see more spawning behavior, I'll try a cotton mop.

I've done water changes and upped the aeration....they all seem fine so far.

Keep a good eye on your ammonia levels they have been known to soar during spawning

Dave

 

[Priscilla]

So should I take from this that no rocks for the koi/goldfish to knock into is the way to go?

I have a few plant pots that use stones to prop them up (very technical), should I maybe wrap those stones in felt or something so there are no hard patches to hit on? Would the felt be bad for the pond? I guess I could find some extra pond liner and wrap that around the stones.

WARNING: If one of my fish gets sick, I'll probably go mad worrying and posting on this site. So help me prevent what I can in advance.

 

[Priscilla]

My koi spawned the other day ( totally bunking my believe I had all males) and they look a lot like this fish I'm trying with plants in floating baskets etc, as my koi, just destroy my pond plants. If I see more spawning behavior, I'll try a cotton mop.

I've done water changes and upped the aeration....they all seem fine so far.

Tula, I think this fish had more problems. My friend has been adding fish to the pond without quarantine and she has also been taking bad advice from the pet store here (I don't trust them at all). I'm trying to convert her, but I guess she's been okay for 8 years with them, so its hard for her to accept that they suck - but they do - since they wouldn't even come out to look at the fish they just dished out meds without seeing the fish.

Two weeks ago I saw some smaller picking (nibbling) at this fish and I thought maybe there were parasites on him .... ? I don't know. Why would they be nibbling on him?

I do think she is having spawning in the pond, but again the pet store guys are just telling to let it be, but there's nothing in there for the eggs to lay on, just smooth sides and two large rocks, one plant pot. The pet store guy advised me not to ever expect to successfully have koi spawn and have fry in the pond, and I did believe them till I got on this site and realized it is very possible.

 

[Waterbug]

The nibbling could be confused with bumping. Spawning behavior would be one or more fish (normally smaller) following a female. The males normally are below and near the back end of the female or right behind. That's how it starts. Can go on for several days like that. The males may only follow for a few second, a few minutes, and then stop and repeat later. The female produces a chemical that attracts the males. As the female produces more the males can get more interested, start bumping the back of the female, swimming can be more intense. That can go on for a bit. At some point the males decide it's time and start pushing the female in all kinds of directions, hopefully into weeds where the deed takes place. Without the weeds this pushing can get to be a lot. The female get tired, sometimes can't swimming and the males continue to push her and now she's completely defensive.

Nibbling in Koi you should be able to see them extend their mouth. Bumping is more of a side and top of the head thing.

This often happens just after dawn in the spring, but can happen any time. Water changes can trigger spawning to. In the wild their ancestors swam up small ditches and creeks after a rain.

It is common for no eggs to survive, or few fry to hatch and live very long. Depends on the pond, hiding spots, food.

Here's the web page I made for you on Water Quality. Kind of a draft, but hopefully some use.