A stressed koi?

[Gene B.]

Two days ago, as our 600 gall. pond was being cleaned out, a one-foot koi got its spine-fin caught in the net and it took two of us to free the flopping fish by carefully cutting the net around the fin. It took almost five minutes; the koi was in water but barely. It swam afterwards normally, but I've noticed that ever since it tries to follow one or the other big koi closely, touching it with its head, "nosing" it, as if afraid to go alone. Is this a sign of a shock of sorts?

 

[Usman]

aw , seems to be shes scared and feels secure in shoal

 

[Faebinder]

Yes it's a sign that it is scared. Newly added fish does that as well.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Handling and/or transport of fish has been determined as the number 1 stress factor for fish. From the scenario that you described, it may take days before this fish returns to normal.
Purchase a larger mesh net.

 

[Gene B.]

Handling and/or transport of fish has been determined as the number 1 stress factor for fish. From the scenario that you described, it may take days before this fish returns to normal.
Purchase a larger mesh net.

Thank you. The net is pretty large: the fish ("Duncan") just jerked back while being transferred from tank to pond and got his sharp fin bone stuck in the mesh hole!

A follow-up question: he also seems to miss the floating pellets: would open his mouth wide and catch nothing but water 4 times out of five, even though the pellet may right in front of him. Could the shock somehow impair his vision or olfactory sense?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

"Flopping around in the net for 5 minutes" may have caused other not so obvious damage to the fish. For sure the slime coat was affected from rubbing against the net mesh. Continue to observe the fish.

 

[Usman]

i have seen pro koi keepers .... if koi is big , more then a foot , its best to dip a container or plastic bag in the net then transfer it in that container or bag . its scales and fins can be damaged by net , some times permanent damage