Sad :(

[mouseams]

A couple of weeks ago I got two small butterfly koi, yellow/black. One was so irridescent and lovely! Had yellow, black, white, a hint of blue and what I thought was a beautiful burgandy back. Little did I know... This week I noticed the color increasing and the fish became more "full" looking. Wow, could this little koi be with eggs???? Well tonight I came home and the fish was belly up. Upon my closer investigation I think the fish had been bleeding for these couple of weeks by the fin. I feel soooooo bad, wish I had realized sooner, I was just thinking spawning season. Now I have only one butterfly, should I get another one to replace it? I have 3 other koi and some shubbies/comets. The one that is still with us eats from my hand and seems to hang with the gang.

So, especially if you are a newbie, beware of the bright red you see on your fish, it may be a warning sign.

 

[D&RW]

wow. bummer Mary. Sorry about that for sure. It's really hard when you don't recognize a problem and it gets worse. Happened to me too. Ulcers developed on the sides of some diseased fish. Dadburned lady who sold them to me didn't even cop to the ulcer when I took her the first dead fish for her opinion. Jerk.

Hey, if you don't mind I'd recommend you go over to Koivet forum and ask what that might have been. You could also get Dr. Johnson's book on Fish Health and Diseases. It's a good read.

At first it sort of seems kind of ridiculous to go to the expense and trouble to try and treat a sick fish, but when you luck out and actually save one it is very rewarding.