They're all dead!

[Dani & glenn]

We've had our 11 (multiple generations) koi for 23 years here in Arizona. Pond is fully automated, food, filter, waterfall. We go on a 3 week vacay every year & never had a problem, this year we took a fall trip.
Our son called us in the 3rd week & told us all our koi are dead & floating. Immediately we came home & found all but 4 were dead Food, filter & waterfall still working.
The survivors died one by one over a 4 day period despite our heroic efforts to try & save them from their watery grave.
Here's the rub...
Normally our koi were shy & would hide,
but the survivors had all gone blind! No reaction to human interaction & running into walls of the pond! They also had blisters all over their mouths & bodies, wouldn't eat & sucked air off surface of water. Were they poisoned????
It is a complete mystery to us! Any ideas of what may have happened would help our hearts heal from the loss of our wet pets

 

[mrsclem]

So sorry to hear! It could very well be some type of chemical that got in your pond. Any close neighbors that could have sprayed pesticides or other chemicals?

 

[Lisak1]

Oh no! More info about your pond please - how big, what type of filtration, any recent changes, etc.

 

[Dani & glenn]

Thank you for the validation that it could be poison. All our deadbeat neighbors spray their yards with Roundup (dispute the cancer warnings) it's never effected our pond before as it's 4' above ground. This seems more like a deliberate & direct hit. God knows why someone would be so mentally ill to do something like that!
I could find nothing on the internet about koi going blind & diseases. I'm at a loss

 

[Dani & glenn]

Oh no! More info about your pond please - how big, what type of filtration, any recent changes, etc.

No changes of any kind in pond functionality for 10 years, it has sustained them for 23 years. We've only lost 2 several years back. One was a jumper, the other had brain damage & was older. No sores or anything on any of them before this.

 

[WaterGardener]

Have you tested the water? That's always a good place to start.

Sorry for the loss of your fish and damage to the survivors.

 

[addy1]

So sorry to hear!

 

[j.w]

Could it be high ammonia levels? I'd test the water for everything w/a good liquid test kit.

 

[Sisha]

I'm so sorry this happened to your fishies. I had a neighbor I'd hear over the fence complain to his visitors how my fishpond is disgusting and attracts mozzies. He couldn't see the pond but may have been able to hear the water. One day when he was whining to his friends I called back to him agreeing with him that the pond does indeed attract mozzies and stated it's the prettiest mosquito trap on the market. He shut up then, or just whinged quieter haha. Maybe you have a neighbour who doesn't understand how good ponds really are. I hope you find out the the reason behind such a sad problem.

 

[GBBUDD]

a good argument for having a couple cameras on your pond . some of these solar charged cameras are amazing.

As far as what might have happened usually it is just as simple as the fish got large where they are far more susceptible to parameters changing , like a drop in o2, but in this case it could have been one 23 year old just happen to come to his day where it was time to check out. You need one hell of a system to be able to absorb a 24 inch or better fish to where the levels didn't cause others to die.

SORRY FOR THE LOSS

Can you post a couple photos of your pond and filter

 

[Lisak1]

My vote Is for the pond tipped the balance. The “everything has been fine for x years” is an all too common occurrence. All is well until it’s not. And then it’s disaster time.