Koi in BAD shape - Help

[Budha35]

Greetings All,

I am new to the hobby and forum. Hoping someone might be able to diagnose what might be going on with one of my little guys.

I will try and give as much info as a I can.

The pond is around 2,200 gallons and pretty established, however did not have any fish for quite some time. I did a total drain and clean out, new filter, plumbing, plants, and added bacteria to kick start bio filter and ran for 30 days with no fish, but frogs that came naturally.

I added 5 small Koi around 5 -6" about 10 days ago. Then have been hidding most of the time and not eating, but we had a cold snap the last week - so I was not overly concerned. I would catch a glimpse of them every other day or jetting around the pond. Then......

I see one of my little guys in really bad shape this morning. He is missing half his tail and looks like something got to him.... My first thought was the other fish were beating him up. I have run aquariums for years and have seen this many many times. But...then I got to thinking whether it could be tail rot, or blot - or combination.

He is isolated from the rest of the guys who are still hiding, he is hovering at the bottom in the open, bloated belly, and looks like he has a "wound" on his tail.

Posted several Pics and would appreciate any advice on whether you think this is an illness, critter, or other fish inflicted damage...? I figured if it was a Heron the bird would have gotten him, but he might have gotten away??

Anyway - thanks in advance!

 

[Budha35]

Oh - by the way to add to my previous post. Water tested good prior to adding the Koi (Koi dealer tested my water), tested yesterday and tested good as well. PH is roughly 7.0 - 7.5, Nitrate = 0, Nitrate Slighty above 0 but less then 20ppm, hard to tell because the test strips are not that precise.

 

[mrsclem]

It looks like the scales are sticking out like a pinecone. Can't really tell from the pics but maybe dropsy. Not sure what would cause it but I'm sure someone else will join in-

 

[Budha35]

Thanks mrsclem,

You are right - his scales are sticking out quite a bit. Unfortunately - I don't have a QT set up yet and am now pondering whether I need to get this guy out of the pond before he might infect the other guys... I think I could rig something up for temporary use. Thoughts?

In terms of cause, I am guessing it could be several factors. The temperature has been all over the board here the last 2 weeks, first in the 80's then right back down to early - mid 50's and colder at night. VERY unusual to get that cold in Virginia in late May. New pond, climate swings, pond not fully cycled yet, and if the other guys sensed he was weak and were picking on him.... that stress level could certainly do it.

My main question is the wound on his tail - he was not showing any symptoms 3-4 days ago - could it progress that fast to eat away his tail in a matter of days?

 

[DrCase]

I don't know what it is ,but moving him out would be a good idea

 

[capewind]

Welcome to the group ... looks like dropsy to me, with a secondary infection of fin rot (common to have both together) ... usually fatal, I would put it out of it's misery ..

 

[Budha35]

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Capewind - that was my fear..

Again - thanks for the replies..

 

[Dave 54]

Dont think you can do much at this stage dropsy is nearly always fatal and even if you turned this koi around then a year down the line it would come back again.
To get these guys to eat try adding a little liquidised Garlic extract to your fish pellets, its job is two fold in that it makes the koi unpallatable to parasites and stimulates your koi into eating .
As to them hiding how would you get on suddenly being dropped in the middle of what would be the atlantic to them .
Had this been just about the infected tail I would have suggested an antibiotic like baytril being either injected or fed to your koi over a 10 day period believe me it does work .
A QT area is of the utmost importance to you try and rectify this soonest


rgrds

Dave

 

[capewind]

Sorry I couldnt say something more positive. You really should have something set up for a QT as Dave mentioned. With dropsy, there seems to be two schools of thought. and I dont know which is correct. Some say it is caused by NONcontagious organ failure, and others say it's an infection (which IS contagious) that causes the organ failure ... Either way, new fish need to be isolated. You dont want to put something contagious into your pond. IF dropsy is NOT contagious. there was a CHANCE to save the fish if the symptoms were seen immediately. The fin rot is a classic secondary infection, and for it to be this bad, between the two issues, this fish doesnt have much hope. Basic fin rot is usually easy to clear without medication, just reduced stress and high quality water conditions. Once fin rot gets down to the flesh level, you need a more agressive course of treatment, as now there are even more oppurtunites for harmful bacterial infections.

 

[HTH]

Because dropsy is a symptom it may have multiple causes. It is like a person being hot. Could be you are standing in the sun. Could be you have a fever. Could be your house is on fire.

Without evidence to back up what the cause of dropsy is why not play it safe and QT fish that show the symptom.

 

[Dave's pond Indiana]

If it was my fish I would try QT and medicate w non iodized salt. I have one in QT now and it is getting better. What have you got to lose? You must get it out of your pond your to protect the other fish. Add salt over a three day period and add oxygen. Stop the salt after 3 days. Continue QT until fish recovers. Make partial water change each day until you remove fish from QT. I am no expert this is what I am doing.

Greetings All,

I am new to the hobby and forum. Hoping someone might be able to diagnose what might be going on with one of my little guys.

I will try and give as much info as a I can.

The pond is around 2,200 gallons and pretty established, however did not have any fish for quite some time. I did a total drain and clean out, new filter, plumbing, plants, and added bacteria to kick start bio filter and ran for 30 days with no fish, but frogs that came naturally.

I added 5 small Koi around 5 -6" about 10 days ago. Then have been hidding most of the time and not eating, but we had a cold snap the last week - so I was not overly concerned. I would catch a glimpse of them every other day or jetting around the pond. Then......

I see one of my little guys in really bad shape this morning. He is missing half his tail and looks like something got to him.... My first thought was the other fish were beating him up. I have run aquariums for years and have seen this many many times. But...then I got to thinking whether it could be tail rot, or blot - or combination.

He is isolated from the rest of the guys who are still hiding, he is hovering at the bottom in the open, bloated belly, and looks like he has a "wound" on his tail.

Posted several Pics and would appreciate any advice on whether you think this is an illness, critter, or other fish inflicted damage...? I figured if it was a Heron the bird would have gotten him, but he might have gotten away??

Anyway - thanks in advance!

Koi 1.JPG

Koi 2.JPG

 

[Dave 54]

We can have three causes for dropsy Bacterial Viral and parasite non of the prognoses for these three are good.
I've helped turn one koi around before now but again I'll repeat what I said to the person whose koi it was, a year down the line it seems to come back and the second time around "forget it" it'll die so you can understand peoples reluctance to even try cure this condition.
However should you wish to try and get lucky antibiotics and heated water seem to do the best the person whos fish it was also added epsomesalts to this mix and the fish recovered the first time weve ever been sucessful with this problem but sadly my warning came to fruition a yer down the line so its up to you which way you wish to play this
The Parasite cause to this disease effects the fishes kindneys the Viral condition speaks for itself last but not least the bacterial infection this is the one I think we got lucky with take your choice which would you like to try and treat ?

rgrds

Dave