Sick koi

[Jodie]

When I got home from work yesterday and went to check on my two little koi I have they both were doing fine. Later I went back out to water my plants and added water from the hose to my pond. Was very little. (Have done this before with no problems.) I also fed the yellow koi a couple of pellets of food. (Tetra). The other is still to bashful. Afterwards I noticed my little yellow koi was swimming fine but then when not swimming he would start going nose down as if his head was weighted down. Or if he was laying on the bottom of the pond he would start rolling over to his side. The only thing I could think of to do at that moment was to grab some peas and feed which he gobbled up in no time. I'm really new to having fish so haven't got a water tester kit yet, but will today. I do know my water temp is hovering between 50 and 60 degrees. I only have the two small koi. My little pond is 150 gallons. I know without testing the water you can't really tell what's going on. But thought maybe the symptoms for now would help.


Got up this morning and checked on my koi. Both are doing the nose down and laying on sides.

 

[sissy]

Could be lack of oxygen ,could also be city water that had something in it .Not sure if you are on a well or city .Do you know how chilly the water is and could the water you added change the temperature to fast ..

 

[Tula]

The very first thing I would do, is stop feeding and test your water. If you have city water, be sure to use de chlorinator when adding any water. 150 gallon is a small body of water, so even adding a little water, is concentrated.

 

[Jodie]

Could be lack of oxygen ,could also be city water that had something in it .Not sure if you are on a well or city .Do you know how chilly the water is and could the water you added change the temperature to fast ..

Sissy it's city water. I have a feeling that's what caused it. I don't think there would have been much of a temp change. I just wasn't thinking when I added the water. I've done it this way before with no problems. I'm wondering if the city may have added extra chlorine? I feel so bad. As a fish parent I should have known better. Also be more prepared.

 

[Smaug]

With your water temps being so low and the pond being sorta new I will venture to say that yiu may be going through a cycle right now. In the colder water temps it's also advised to feed wheat germ based foods as their metabolism arent really ready to be handling protein based food. In combo with the untreated city water you just added it could make an already unbalanced system pretty bad. Do you have water conditioner to counteract chlorine and chlorine in yiur city water?

 

[Tula]

If you believe it's the city water that caused this, I'd for sure get some de-cholrinator and increase your oxygen. Check with your city to see if you have chorine only, or have choramines also. A sad fact , but if their gills are burned from the chlorine, it's not reversible.

 

[Jodie]

If you believe it's the city water that caused this, I'd for sure get some de-cholrinator and increase your oxygen. Check with your city to see if you have chorine only, or have choramines also. A sad fact , but if their gills are burned from the chlorine, it's not reversible.

I will be sure to call and ask. And will get the de-chlorinater, water test kit. In the mean time, is there anything else I should be watching for just in case it isn't the chlorine and or lack of oxygen?

 

[Tula]

If it were my pond, I would proceed conservatively, gathering information about the water ( via test kit ), add de cholr and increase areation with either an air stone, or creating some type of splash on the water's surface.

I think too often, we do too much, before we know what we should do. JMHO.

 

[Jodie]

If it were my pond, I would proceed conservatively, gathering information about the water ( via test kit ), add de cholr and increase areation with either an air stone, or creating some type of splash on the water's surface.

I think too often, we do too much, before we know what we should do. JMHO.

Thank you for your help. I will do the above and go from there. I feel bad that my little guys are suffering or sacrificed themselves for my lack of knowledge. But from now on I will be more careful and prepared before adding water. Hopefully, somehow they will pull thru.

 

[sissy]

lack of oxygen can be changed by adding a pump with a fountain head .Also petco has a nice 4 port aerator for around 30 dollars and it comes with everything .

 

[Jodie]

lack of oxygen can be changed by adding a pump with a fountain head .Also petco has a nice 4 port aerator for around 30 dollars and it comes with everything .

Thank you!

 

[Jodie]

Went to Petsmart (closest pond store/nursery is 2 hours away) and got these two items. Is this what I was needing are they ok?

 

[Tula]

Yes There is another API test kit, for other values, such as KH, nitrate and some others, but this is good enough, in my opinion. Once you get the results, please share, so forum members can help you. The Stress Coat product handles both chorine and chloramines, which is good. I also note it binds ammonia , so perhaps @MitchM or another member can advise, about how using it, prior to testing your water, might affect your ammonia reading.

 

[Jodie]

Yes There is another API test kit, for other values, such as KH, nitrate and some others, but this is good enough, in my opinion. Once you get the results, please share, so forum members can help you. The Stress Coat product handles both chorine and chloramines, which is good. I also note it binds ammonia , so perhaps @MitchM or another member can advise, about how using it, prior to testing your water, might affect your ammonia reading.

I'll be sure and post results. We've been getting a little rain today. Maybe that will help. Hoping my little guys made it today.

 

[sissy]

I used the stress coat when i moved my fish to storage tanks when i rebuilt the pond and it seemed to help them .I did not need it for removal but wanted to protect there slime coat and all I could get around here in March