Looks like I have an issue with one of my Koi. It's kind of "jerking" when it swims, almost like it's having trouble with muscle movement. It also rolls to one side and has to right itself, and looks to be a bit head down. It almost looks like it's sort of parylized?? It has no indication of outside disease or trauma, and none of the other fish show any distress. Any ideas??
Sick Koi.
- Thread starter coldwater
- Start date
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Check you electrical supply, make sure you have no stray voltage going into the pond. Also make sure everything is on GFI plugs. Have you had any thunderstorms in the last 24-48 hours?
We had an ENORMOUS storm last friday. 6" of rain in 5 hours, and there was a lighteng strike to a tree about 50' from the pond that kicked the breaker to the pump and roasted our telephone. It is on a GFCI, and it held fine when I reset it, so I "assume" it's not leaking to ground...Only the one fish seems to be distressed, and the rest are fine (so far anyway) It's interesting you mention the storm. I wonder If I should kill the pump for a bit and see if it has ane effect?
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
If you have a electrical Ohms meter you can check and see if there is any low voltage power leaking into the pond with the pump on, I've actually felt the very light tingling if I barely touched the water surface from a low voltage leak. Lightning could very easily have caused this condition to one or mutiple fish. It usually shows up within 72 hours after a lightning strike or voltage surge in the water. Unfortunatly there is no cure or fix for the fish effected. although they can live for many years in that condition.
That's kind of a DE-JAVUE, I was trying to help someone last night on another koi illness and ran across that in the Koi-Kichi book. It descibed the symptons you said almost to a tee. I personally have never seen it in a pond but have in a fish tank. Didn't know at the time what was causing it. I have been told you can make a grounding rod for a pond by bending a piece of heavy copper wire and and running one tip in pond water about 3-4" down in the water column and the other end needs to be 1-2' or further down in the ground than the deepest part of the pond. This will send the electricty into the ground and reduce the load going into the water. Mine has been done for quite some time like that. I don't know if it has helped or not, don't know if I ever got hit by lightning but I did it after a pump shorted and I could feel it like I stated earlier with my finger tips.
That's kind of a DE-JAVUE, I was trying to help someone last night on another koi illness and ran across that in the Koi-Kichi book. It descibed the symptons you said almost to a tee. I personally have never seen it in a pond but have in a fish tank. Didn't know at the time what was causing it. I have been told you can make a grounding rod for a pond by bending a piece of heavy copper wire and and running one tip in pond water about 3-4" down in the water column and the other end needs to be 1-2' or further down in the ground than the deepest part of the pond. This will send the electricty into the ground and reduce the load going into the water. Mine has been done for quite some time like that. I don't know if it has helped or not, don't know if I ever got hit by lightning but I did it after a pump shorted and I could feel it like I stated earlier with my finger tips.
I just went to check on it. I couldn't feel anything in the water, so I called my brother, who's an electrican, and he's stopping by this evening to check it. The one fish is half under their big protection rock. He's a little hard to see under all the hyacynth, but he's there. When I put my hand in the water the other Koi came running, looking for a handout and finger sucking like starving beggars, but all he did was pop out and right back in again. I hope it was a power strike and not an illness in the pond.
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Be sure and watch it closely, If it does die get it out ASAP and look it over carefully for any additional signs. With all the others coming up to feed and not spots or redness I would see what happens, If for some reason it does die and you see anything else that looks alarming take pics. That is the easiest way for members here to look and possibly help if there is another issue going on. GOOD LUCK! I hope that's all it is too.
Will do! Thank you for the help.
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
Your quite welcome!
Well, It seems that you hit it right on the money. The Koi in question kind of hid out for a few days, then I noticed he was starting to tear up the hyacynth and feeding again. He's not as friendly as he used to be, and his ability to swim has definately taken a hit, but, he's back on his food and moving around again, just not gracefully....Good news is that it looks like there is no illness in the pond, and he looks like he'll make it. Awesome diagnosis!
fishin4cars
True friends just call me Larkin
from what I have read the damage is permanent if it was a electrocution, but if it makes it this far it will usually survive. I doubt I would swim right and not be quite as friendly for a while if that happened to me either! lol Glad to hear that it is surviving and getting better.