Flashing and possible Ich

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I have about 2.5 inch long 12 koi in a 2000 gallon pond. I put them in there with about 10 3 inch goldfish that I already had in the pond.

They seem to be behaving oddly. They will sort of flick sideways, along the bottom. Turning their sides towards the surface, as the do it. This only lasts for about 1 second, but they keep doing it. It is almost as if they are trying to scrape something off of themselves. Is this normal behavior?

I didn't fish any of them out of there and examine them, but they don't appear to have ich. Ich is fairly noticeable due to the white spots. Perhaps this is the early stage of some sort of fungal infection?

I have some pond salt available to me, as well as some antifungal liquid. Should I use them? Would it hurt the fish if I use the medicines, if there is really nothing wrong with the fish?
 

DrDave

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Re: Fish itch themselves on the bottom?

This should have been posted in the disease and illness thread. Hence the move
It is possible they have Ich. You should consider salting the pond as a first line of defense, or move them into a hospital tank/pond and treat with salt.
Information may be found on my website on the use of salt.
 
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They may have flukes.
They flash when they have them.
BennyLava said:
Ok thank you. I guess it will not hurt them if that is not the cause.

Do you happen to know if the salt will kill other parasites as well?
 
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Praziquantel helps flukes.

The behavior you are describing is called "flashing," and is typical of when water quality isn't great and the fish are being affected. Sometimes, they will even jump out of the water.

When was your last water change?

That sounds like too many fish for a newly establish pond, even tho they are fingerling sized.
 
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Good for you Benny. This shows how important water changes are. All the fish have to live in is that water, and if the water quality is diminished, they are in trouble. It's like us humans living in air that is polluted---we wouldn't do well, either.

Glad to hear things improved. Keep up the water changes!
 

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