spring start up problems—help needed

[Smaug]

Yiu need to catch a few and get a very close look. Look at their gills very closely. The stopping flashing during and after water change coukd be just that they get distracted from the irritation.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

If they are flashing after being fed, this points to Ammonia problems. How old is your test kit?

 

[Jenny]

You're probably right about it just being a distraction. I don't have a microscope or anything, but I'm going to stop by my local pond shop and get his advice. He might be able to look for parasites as well.

My test kit is about a year old, but I've been daily detoxifying the ammonia.

 

[Smaug]

Ammonia kits are not usually affected enough by age to be that far off. Mine is over 3 yrs old and still accurate compared to my neighbors newer one. Yiu don't need a microscope to see parasites such as anchor worm or fish lice. Do some googling as to what fish lice look like and some of the other nastys. If it's ich it wI'll appear as grains of salt. Look at the gills for inflammation .

 

[sissy]

I have one fish that jumps an inch or 2 out of the pond and he has done this for over 6 years .He thinks he is a dolphin .He always jumps and for no reason .I have taken him out and checked him and nothing wrong with him .I guess for him it is fun .No matter where he is he just likes doing it .He is healthy and water is fine ,it is just him

 

[Jenny]

Should I take pictures of their gills and skin?

 

[Jenny]

I pulled up a fish and his dorsal fin has a red streak. That plus the biggest fish having the largest reaction points pretty clearly to ammonia. Guess my test kit is pretty darn wrong. I'll move them to the 5000 gallon tub tomorrow, unless anyone disagrees or has further ideas?

 

[MitchM]

Nitrites come after ammonia. Can you test for nitrites?

 

[MitchM]

I've looked through the thread and the only parameters I've seen so far are
PH 8.0 - 8.2
Temperature 62F
Ammonia 0 or a slight positive reading

and 2 - 50% water changes within 2 days.

Nothing is standing out as a problem to me, but I don't see any source water parameters.
It would be helpful if we saw some more test numbers on the existing pond water and source water.

.

 

[barryian]

Firstly, smaug mentioned anchor worm. You don't need a scope and can rule them out if you can't see them. They're about 1/2 -3/4" long and hang like a thread off the fish. Very treatable but if you don't see them, you don't have them. The one with the red streak ... Is the red streak possibly a marking or do you thing it's a parasitic infection? There's much going on here Jenny so it's tough. Nothing definitive.

You don't have to treat for ammonia daily as an ammonia binder should hold for 3 days unless it's bad. I'd stop the water changes if nitrites and ammonia are 0 ...

What are you feeding them? Possibly it's the food and nothing else. They can go a couple weeks without food so don't concern yourself with them being hungry.

Again, what are you feeding them as if it's high in fat and protein with cool water, it could be as simple as the food. What is the food protein% & fat% ... In the Northeast, you should have been feeding them anything from cheerios to koi wheatgerm based food. 62F is still cool. High protein could be hard to digest. I've read this happening frequently with people but then Meyer mentioned ammonia level rising after feeding might be a cause. All this would be a good thing if it rules out parasites.

Is the ammonia 0 an hour or 2 after feeding? Is the ammonia spiking daily? They're not going to flash with a slight ammonia reading of .25 as that's slight. You still want it 0. Did you test kit freeze over winter as one year old isn't old? Possibly you can go through this barrage of questions and answer them and reassess what we might have?

 

[barryian]

I pulled up a fish and his dorsal fin has a red streak. That plus the biggest fish having the largest reaction points pretty clearly to ammonia. Guess my test kit is pretty darn wrong. I'll move them to the 5000 gallon tub tomorrow, unless anyone disagrees or has further ideas?

Moving them will cause more stress.

 

[Smaug]

That jumping fish for 6 years wasn't Jenny,it was sissy Barry.

 

[Smaug]

How much muck is on the bottom of pond?

 

[Jenny]

"Nitrites come after ammonia. Can you test for nitrites?"
Did that and retested ammonia. Both 0, but I'll take water to the pond shop tomorrow for testing to make sure my tests aren't wrong.

"Nothing is standing out as a problem to me, but I don't see any source water parameters.
It would be helpful if we saw some more test numbers on the existing pond water and source water."
I can get readings of the water I've been using to do water changes, if that's what you mean, but I don't think that's where the problem lies.

" Is the red streak possibly a marking or do you thing it's a parasitic infection?"
Looking back at pictures from before I bought him, and I don't see a red mark. Definitely needs to be looked into.

"What are you feeding them? Possibly it's the food and nothing else. "
Okay now that I think about it, 2/3 of the feedings were wheat germ. The third was higher in protein, but smaller in quantity. That was the last meal I gave them, so it's possible. I don't remember which food I gave them in previous instances where they flashed. Let me try completely eliminating the higher protein food until it's much warmer. But the red streak still concerns me. I'll pull up more fish tomorrow and check them out. He was one of the flashers, though.

"Did you test kit freeze over winter as one year old isn't old?"
No, it was kept in a heated garage.

"Moving with cause more stress."
Valid point, but it may be necessary. I'll see if I can get a better idea of what's going on before causing unnecessary stress.

Okay, I think that covers all the questions. Thank you so, so, so much everyone for your ideas and help.

 

[Jenny]

How much muck is on the bottom of pond?

Whoops missed your post.. Not much. I cleaned nearly all of it out.