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We are new to Koi keeping - having adpopted a pond (without fish) [approximately 16000lt, 1.2m deep] during a house move last August. We re-lined, and re-stocked the pond with seven fish.

We now have a problem with one of the fish - the smallest of the seven, who doesn't appear to have grown as much as the others.

We found him at the bottom of the pond, listless and on one side. We decided to remove him to a seperate area (a bucket at the moment - he is only about 10cm long and the weather precludes us from getting anything else). Whilst netting him, I found that he may have been trapped by blanket weed - we do treat for this and the pond is generally clear.

Anyway, I was concerned that over night the water temperatrure in the bucket would drop significantly (it is snowing and around 0C - South England) so brought the bucket into the house.

This morning, the fish seems a lot happier - maintaining balance and swimming around. We now don't know what to do.

Are we able to re-introduce him to the pond now, or should we keep him indoors until spring? If we can, how long do we need to give for water temperature equalisation?

If he is now indoors, should we feed him?

Really not sure what to do. Your help would be appreciated.

Regards

Daniel
 

DrCase

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Welcome to the Forum

Since you have the fish in the house i would watch him for a few days
i wouldn't feed him yet
 
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Thanks.

So, do you think that we will be able to put him back into the pond this winter?

How often should I change the water in the bucket? It currently has pond water in it.

Also, if I vaccummed the pond to try and remove the blanket weed that, will this distress the remaning koi?

Thanks.

Regards

Daniel
 

DrCase

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On a mild temp day you could put the pail outside to go back down to pond temp slowly

A little air in the bucket would help now, Get a second bucket and bring in more pond water and let the temp match each day

You could get away with a forked stick and spin the allege on to it
 

j.w

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Daniel
Are fish coming to the surface gasping at all? If so could be a lack of oxygen and you could provide an air pump w/ a hose to the pond w/ an aerator stone attached for some extra oxygen. Maybe that weed is causing the oxygen to be depleted? Hope you can fix whatever is wrong.
 
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The pond already has an Oase OxyTex and we have kept the filter running. The other fish appear to be okay. It is just this one fish.

He seems to be doing a lot better inside. As Dr Case suggested, I am about to change his water and I will re-asses tomorrow morning.

Regards

Dan
 

DrCase

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I am not really a Doctor , but If you got it out you might as well watch it
 

HARO

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The description of your fish's behaviour is exactly how mine behave in cold weather. They burrow into any vegetation on the bottom of the pond, and usually lay there partly on their sides. I wonder if your fish was simply doing what fish do in winter?? :cold:
John
 

sissy

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yep cold and hug anything they can get hold .John knows about that :rolleyes: :wink:
 
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Update - The fish seemed to be doing quite well in his bucket inside the house. We therefore decided to leave him for the day in the garrage as a half way between the house and re-introduction back to the pond. He ended up back on his side, so we have taken him back into the house.

I've now got a larger holding bucket and have bought a small filter. I have also added some pond salt to try and treat any passasites. It looks like our friend will be with us until the temperature gets warmer.

Daniel
 

sissy

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All I can say is you have a very spoiled fish and he does not like the cold :razz:
 
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I guess it is a risk i'm going to have to take (that the fish is a b.s. er!)...

Now that he has been inside for a couple of days, I am going to start feeding him tomorrow as well. I assume that the low protein food I was giving the fish as part of their winterisation will be fine?

It is still my aim to return him to the pond in a month or so.
 

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