I am a new koi owner and having issues keeping my koi alive. I lost about 10 in 48hr. Koi are swimming lethargic they fin and tail rot issues. I see white string pop and mucus in the dead one gill. I add pond salt, API melafix and API General Cure. Water level with everything is correct, it was before. Please help
Sick and dying 4 to 5 inch koi. New owner
- Thread starter Sidzion25
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TheFishGuy
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First Thing: Just Stop.
Stop adding random fix it alls, dont add any more fish.
What are your specific water parameters? we need more than just " everything looks good". What size is your pond, what filtration is on it, how many fish do you have, how long has the pond been set up, just give us all the pond information. From your description my guesses are: bad water quality ( fin rot and lethargic ) and internal parasites ( white stringy poop ) but there can be a whole host of things that cause these so I just need more info.
From there we can give you specially tailored advice to fit solve your issue.
Stop adding random fix it alls, dont add any more fish.
What are your specific water parameters? we need more than just " everything looks good". What size is your pond, what filtration is on it, how many fish do you have, how long has the pond been set up, just give us all the pond information. From your description my guesses are: bad water quality ( fin rot and lethargic ) and internal parasites ( white stringy poop ) but there can be a whole host of things that cause these so I just need more info.
From there we can give you specially tailored advice to fit solve your issue.
I have a 250 gallon IBC TOTE. I have had the tank since last year summer. There's about 20 to 30 fish remaining now. made fliter system with big blue drum lava rocks Bio beads above water parameters are Ammonia 0 ppm, GH 0, NO3 0, NO2 0, CI2 0, KH 0 PH 6.4. Water temperature right now is 76 degrees
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So sorry to hear of your fish losses. Thats a pretty small tank. How big are your Koi? Are you using dipsticks or test tubes to test the water? What is your water source? Any new additions? How long have they been in the tank? Recent water changes? As TheFishGuy said, the water quality may be the problem.
There about 3 to 4 inches. Dipstick for the general test tube for the Ammonia. Water source is tap water. No new additions, had then for about 9 months. Yes after I was advised to add about 12 pounds of solar salt did a 25% water change
Mmathis
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@Sidzion25 Hello and welcome! I’m so sorry you’re having problems — it happens to all of us. I will let those more expert give you advice, but I do have one question. Don’t take this wrong — we all get into this hobby from different starting points, but what lead you to attempt to keep koi in a 250 gallon tote? Where is your beginning point and what knowledge base are you starting out with? Knowing information like this about your situation might better guide us in helping you.
I won't take it wrong. I am a novice, I started last summer after seeing a coworker growing some in his IBC TOTE. I have always thought they beautiful fish and wanted them. But I am a active duty soldier so I move alot and didn't have the chance before to grow my own or lean about them. I am started them now because I am planning to retire soon and will be taking to Alaska where my house is and plan on building a 3500 to 4000 gallon pond
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Those here who raise koi can correct me, but I’ve read that you should have a minimum of five gallons per inch of fish, which would mean yours are overcrowded. Could you choose your favorite 10-15 fish and rehome the rest, then expand once you build your pond?
Well them dying seem to be causing that right now. Idk if all are infected now so now I am stuck if I should give away sick fish or let who die, die. My last question now is? Is my entire tank infected??
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If you think they have an infection, you need to submit them to a veterinary lab for diagnosis and treatment recommendations. My bet is overcrowding with poor water quality. That’s something you can improve yourself.
I have fixed the water quality. It's just I haven't found anything to fix the fish. But I do need to reduce the number of fish in the tank
I am on a military base in the middle of the desert in CA. No fish veterinarian around here
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There are two things I would do that could help and not be throwing medications that may or not be needed. Those two things are some fresh water and increased aeration. Be sure to add dechlorinator to the water and do not change out all the water, just between 10-20 %. Increase aeration by adding an aerator or increasing the "splash factor" of the water return line, as agitating the waters surface adds oxygen.
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Your pH and KH are problems. The pH is too low, in the acidic range. The KH is non existent and needs to be raised. Your beneficial bacteria will have a hard time working well with a pH in the acidic range and no KH.
Your tank is very overstocked. You might get away with that if you have seriously excessive filtration.
If you can test with liquid tests, they would be much more accurate. The dip tests are not accurate, so they are pretty useless. Fin rot is caused by poor water quality, so I have some doubt about the results you are getting with those test strips.
Do you use a dechlorinator when adding water to the tank?
Tula has some good suggestions. I would follow her advice.
Please get some liquid tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, KH and pH and post the results here. That will give us a much better idea of what is going on.
Your tank is very overstocked. You might get away with that if you have seriously excessive filtration.
If you can test with liquid tests, they would be much more accurate. The dip tests are not accurate, so they are pretty useless. Fin rot is caused by poor water quality, so I have some doubt about the results you are getting with those test strips.
Do you use a dechlorinator when adding water to the tank?
Tula has some good suggestions. I would follow her advice.
Please get some liquid tests for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, KH and pH and post the results here. That will give us a much better idea of what is going on.
DO NOT rehome to anyone with fish it sounds like yours are not healthy, fin rot, parasites etc. i'd be less then pleased if i found out after the fact.
250 gallons for 30 fish left , was it the larger fish that died?
fin rot if not advanced can be cut off with a pair of scissors BUT you need to identify the spiny part of the fin on the outside edges of the fins do not cut those the fin it's self is like cutting a toe nail the spine is like cutting to deep into the cuticle. but before you do even think about it go to you tube see if you can find a video on it
30 plus 4" koi is crazy in that size tub 30 plus gold fish is too many
the good thing is you know the exact gallons to treat the fish but separate them to smaller groups as you learn. 5 koi at that size is pushing it and that's this year they will almost double in size to next year . Koi are NOT a fish for 250 gallons