Koi acting strange

[Klowe2104]

Hi all, new to this whole forum thing but I’m looking for some advice to save my koi!

Set-up - I have a 2400L pond (7x4x3ft) with a mix of goldfish koi and a tench. 1500l/ph pump and oxygenators running constantly

My koi which I inherited from my grandad (around 15 years old) has been acting strange recently after being fine for a month - eating well and regaining bright colours. But all of a sudden has stopped eating complete over the last 4 days and hung around at the bottom of the pond, no other fish seems to be affected. My ammonia levels are slightly higher than they should be but I don’t think this is the problem, I have a hunch that it may be the start of some sort of swim bladder problem as he has some irregular movements and can be seen gulping air frequently.

Any advice/cures would be appreciated as I don’t want to lose this fish!!!

 

[WaterGardener]

Do you have a nitrite test? If so, what is the reading?

 

[j.w]

@Klowe2104
I think you have too many fish for that size pond. Start digging

 

[Klowe2104]

View attachment 157422@Klowe2104
I think you have too many fish for that size pond. Start digging View attachment 157423

I’ve got 2 koi (one is no bigger than 4 inches) 2 goldies 1 tench

 

[j.w]

I’ve got 2 koi (one is no bigger than 4 inches) 2 goldies 1 tench

I thought the koi were 15 yrs old? Or is that my mistake? If they are very small then you are ok for now but the koi will grow really big eventually if they are really koi. Do they have barbel whiskers?

 

[Klowe2104]

I thought the koi were 15 yrs old? Or is that my mistake? If they are very small then you are ok for now but the koi will grow really big eventually if they are really koi. Do they have barbel whiskers?

Yeah you are right, one is 15 years old, he’s about a foot long now and the other is a about 5-6 months. I’m not planning on getting any more fish for the pond

 

[Klowe2104]

Do you have a nitrite test? If so, what is the reading?

Do you have a nitrite test? If so, what is the read

I’ve got the tetra test kits and the one I done came back at safe levels on both nitrite and nitrate

 

[j.w]

Your pond volume is 630 gallons using a pond calculator volume guide. That is about the right size for just one koi and no more fish.
Here is a site that lets you know home many koi can go into a pond:https://nextdaykoi.com/koi-how-tos/calculating-pond-water-volume/

 

[WaterGardener]

A foot long for a 15 year old koi is very, very stunted. Are you sure it's not a goldfish? That would be about the right size for one at that age.

 

[Klowe2104]

Your pond volume is 630 gallons using a pond calculator volume guide. That is about the right size for just one koi and no more fish.
Here is a site that lets you know home many koi can go into a pond:https://nextdaykoi.com/koi-how-tos/calculating-pond-water-volume/

A foot long for a 15 year old koi is very, very stunted. Are you sure it's not a goldfish? That would be about the right size for one at that age.

hi gents,

I appreciate the feedback which I will take on board, on closer look (tape measure) he is about 18 inches long which is still stunted probably but he wasn’t in my possession until a month ago.

I would just like to get back to the point of this discussion if possible please.

Cheers

 

[Mgessert]

I would suspect the water quality until proven otherwise, and would add more filtration, aeration, and do 20% water changes daily until the ammonia is zero.

 

[WaterGardener]

Most problems are a result of poor water quality. That is why everyone is focused on that.

Correcting the water will often let the fish heal without any other interference.