Koi fish help

[Mapache]

Hello everyone!
I have a small patio pond.... it has a few plants and until recently some very happy guppies..... the pond had a pump to keep the water flowing.Then basically a “happy accident” happened.... A friend contacted us because someone’s koi fish tank broke,they couldn’t afford a new one.... the fishes had been for a week in the washing machine and needed a home asap...if I could take at least one into my pond....I contacted a vet and got some guidance, but due to COVID19 curfews there isn’t much I can do (I live in Costa Rica). We adopted 3 fishes.... we moved all the guppies to a fish tank..this is what has happened so far....

• The fish are very shy... they don’t eat if am near the pond
• They laid loooots of eggs
• They stay near the bottom close to egg clusters
• They killed most of the plants
• The pump keeps getting stuck with the plant pieces..

I will get a filter as soon as I can ( this week only super markets were open)

Any other things that I can get easily in case things get difficult due to COVID? Or any other things I could do?

English is not my first language so I may sound a tad weird in terminology

 

[sissy]

Number 1 something may have frightened the fish and 2 you can remove some of the eggs ,but if you do not feed the fish they will eat them .Koi destroy everything and no getting around it and plants can be maintained only with a screen type thing to protect the roots .JW on here made a hoop with screening for floating plants that works great .That will also keep the roots out of your pump

 

[Tula]

Welcome Koi are very curious and will root around in plants and anything else they find. I put deer fencing over my water lilies and zip tie them snug.

Unless your pond is fairly large, it may not be suited to koi. They grow vary fast and require a lot of filtration.

 

[Mapache]

Welcome Koi are very curious and will root around in plants and anything else they find. I put deer fencing over my water lilies and zip tie them snug.

Unless your pond is fairly large, it may not be suited to koi. They grow vary fast and require a lot of filtration.

Thanks! We may need to relocate them... since the pond really isn’t that big.... but at this point it isn’t the washing machine (literally!) they had been living for the past week I’m guessing if they laid eggs it is not that bad? At this point I just want to make them comfortable

 

[sissy]

Wish someone had told me becuase now my koi pond is over 5000 gallons and koi are well over 2 feet long .I do love my fat fantails and they do not get big and are much easier to take care of and come in pretty colors .They love attention and really like being hand fed .

 

[Mapache]

Wish someone had told me becuase now my koi pond is over 5000 gallons and koi are well over 2 feet long .I do love my fat fantails and they do not get big and are much easier to take care of and come in pretty colors .They love attention and really like being hand fed .

Your pond may be bigger than my whole patio! Lol! Am not even sure what specific kind of koi these are .... or gender (am guessing at least one is female because of the eggs) as soon as I get them settled I’ll get some pics of them to check if you can help me identify them

 

[mrsclem]

You say small patio pond, guessing 100 gallons or less. Probably better than washing machine but they will not survive for long without adequate filtration. You need to find a new home for them but in the mean time, don't worry about feeding them and do small water changes to keep the water clean. Add dechlorinator if needed. Advertise on Craigslist or local ads for new homes. Good luck!

 

[Mapache]

You say small patio pond, guessing 100 gallons or less. Probably better than washing machine but they will not survive for long without adequate filtration. You need to find a new home for them but in the mean time, don't worry about feeding them and do small water changes to keep the water clean. Add dechlorinator if needed. Advertise on Craigslist or local ads for new homes. Good luck!

How often do you recommend the water changes... before the koi we did 50% water changes monthly.... should I do it weekly? Every 3 days? My hope is that by the end of next week I will have an appropriate filter on it.... even if we are relocating them we always had some small fishes on the pond so the filter was coming in anyways .... before it was just not as necessary due to the plants helping

 

[Tula]

I think smaller water changes done more frequently would be best in your situation.

 

[sissy]

water changes are not needed ,you will just be starting over as bacteria needs to get started .Koi need lots of aeration and lots of filtering .That is why I have 2 filters

 

[Mapache]

Hmmmmm well ....tomorrow I’ll go to an acuarium to get a filter.... the fish have been in the pond not even a week so I if I get the filter by Tuesday hopefully everything will be fine

 

[Tula]

@sissy , Given the small pond and no established filtration, don't you think small water changes would keep ammonia in check? Of course, as filters become established and plants grow, things are different. JMO

 

[addy1]

Welcome to our group!

I would do small water changes but not draining and refilling. Post a picture of your pond set up when you can.

 

[Mapache]

Welcome to our group!

I would do small water changes but not draining and refilling. Post a picture of your pond set up when you can.

Thank you! How often should the water changes happen?

 

[addy1]

Do you have a test kit? keep a eye on the values, do a bit of water change if the numbers start to climb. When I had a fish tank I would swap out some of the water once a week, but that was gold fish not koi.