Urgent need help

[Mat231v6]

I have been loosing fish daily and I really need someones help. I am attaching pictures of several fish that have died. I just started taking pictures but i can upload more if needed. I currently have three fish now in a separate tank(preformed 70 Gallon pond) on the verge of death. They have red sides, a rough texture, and a slim/foam stuck to them. i can upload pictures if need (saying they actually make it through the night)

This all started when i walked out Thursday evening to feed my fish. I noticed one fish laying dead on the bottom. i pulled him out and did a 100% water change. the fish looked like it was shot with bb's he had hole like marks that where on the surface of his skin. I wish i would have taken pictures. the next day we examined all the fish and noticed that there sides where red. Almost like they were rubbing against the rocks. the bodies all look bruised and red have visible sores.

We again did a 100% water change and a 1pound of salt to 100 gallons of water. the next day my butterfly fish (named the Googol fish) was acting strange, i took him out and put him in a smaller pond (preformed pond) i put him in a salt water solution for one hour (1 pound salt (solar salt) to 100 gallons of water) then ran out got Medi-koi food and Melafix made by API pond.left him in that over night. i forced fed him the food basically put the food right in front of his moth with my hand (not really forcing). he ate a little. he died...

i lost another two today both in a fresh water and Melafix solution based on manufacture recommendations. all my fish are starting to act up and have body damage. i have been feeding them for the past few day only MEDI-KOI food and have done another 100% water change. they are all in a manufacture recommended MELAFIX solution. I have added chlorine & heavy metal neutralizer, done water test (no nitrite 0, ammonia 1.5 - 2, phosphate .25, PH 8.0, chlorine zero, water temp 60 degrees) water was changed 3-4 hours ago water test done at 8/23/15 at 12:55am. Some fish are eating others are not the fish that are in really bad shape have not been eating and we have been hand feeding them.


Please help me I am willing to do what ever it takes to stop seeing my fish dye at a rate of two fish per day. I have tried everything i know how to do and have researched to do. i have added air stones to my pond to pump up oxygen, i have been feeding fish Medi_Koi food, putting in Melafix, doing water changes, water test, i have been holding off on All season pond bacteria (as of right now) Please i beg you help someone. i am willing to do whats needed.

 

[Mat231v6]

more info to add i am on well water, i recently inherited fish from an aunt (2-3 weeks ago). My water test kit was a drip kit (Api). My pond is 332 gallons with tetra brand pump (3600 GPH, their skimmer box, water fall, uv light) I am uploading pictures of the pond prior to having any issues. I have about 9 fish total all Koi with three in a separate pond on verge of death ones separated will not eat. I have now taken all pond plants out.I feed the fish twice a day once in morning and once in afternoon about 6pm. I am located in Illinois. hope this added infor helps if i left anything out please ask.


here is a link to my pond equipment used
https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...p-1735307-c-10121.htm?tid=4669581885541535949
https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...-1735306-c-10121.htm?tid=-2690120481338755917
https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...p-2254893-c-10121.htm?tid=4669581885541535949
https://www.menards.com/main/outdoo...p-1735282-c-10121.htm?tid=2166072144209224150

 

[mrsclem]

Welcome to the forum Mat231v6- I'm sure others will be posting soon to help out but as I'm looking at your pond and fish I have several questions. How large are these fish? At 332 gallons, your pond is probably overstocked as your ammonia reading is 1.5. It should be 0. How long has the pond been running? Did you have any fish before getting the ones from your aunt?
You posted the list of equipment you have but I don't see any type of filtration. Thank you for giving all the info you did as it will help out with finding out what is going on. I'm not sure 100% water changes are the way to go as it could stress the fish more but I could be wrong. Hopefully Dave54 or another member will post soon to help.

 

[MitchM]

Sorry for your loss.
I suspect that water quality deteriorated quickly with that many large fish in a small pond and no filtration.
The addition of those large fish would have been too much for the pond to handle.

What was your pond maintenance like before the fish started dying?
How long has the pond been running before you put those fish in?

 

[Mmathis]

Garden Pond Forums Posting Guidelines:

Before posting please take a moment to think about what information could really help the other members to help you. If your question is about water quality then this is particularly important! Water quality can have a great impact on fish health. To help us better help you with your fish or water problems please read the following.

The more information you can provide, the easier it will be for any issues to be identified. Therefore please answer these questions as completely as possible:


Water quality
* Ammonia Level (pond)
* Nitrite Level (pond)
* Ammonia Level (tap water)
* Nitrite Level (tap water)
* Ph Level, pond (If possible, KH, GH and chlorine)
* Ph Level, tap water (If possible, KH, GH and chlorine)
* Brand of test-kit used and whether strips or drops?

Other useful information:
* Water temperature?
* Pond size and how long has it been running?
* What is the name and size of the filter(s)?
* How often do you change the water and how much?
* How many days ago was the last water change and how much did you change?
* How many fish in the pond and their type?
* What kind of water additives or conditioners have you used?
* What do you feed your fish and how often?
* Any new fish added to the pond recently?
* Any medications added to the pond?
* List entire medication/treatment history for fish and pond
* Any unusual findings on the fish?
* Any unusual behavior like staying at the bottom, not eating, etc.?


If this is an EMERGENCY and your fish are in immediate danger, we encourage you to post ASAP regardless.

If you do not have a test kit, you may be able to take samples of your pond and tap water to your local fish store for testing (which is often free). Please request numerical results rather than generalizations like "OK", "fine", "safe", "acceptable", etc. However since knowing your water quality is important, we suggest you get your own test kit. A drop kit is both more accurate and much less expensive per test than the test strips.

Photos can also be a big help!

 

[Mat231v6]

Welcome to the forum Mat231v6- I'm sure others will be posting soon to help out but as I'm looking at your pond and fish I have several questions. How large are these fish? At 332 gallons, your pond is probably overstocked as your ammonia reading is 1.5. It should be 0. How long has the pond been running? Did you have any fish before getting the ones from your aunt?
You posted the list of equipment you have but I don't see any type of filtration. Thank you for giving all the info you did as it will help out with finding out what is going on. I'm not sure 100% water changes are the way to go as it could stress the fish more but I could be wrong. Hopefully Dave54 or another member will post soon to help.

I have 2 fish about a foot long, 3 about 8-10 inches, 2 about 6-7 inches, and 2 about 4-6inches. I had prior to this issue an additional 4 fish 12-16 inches long. The nine fish i have now is that appropriate? FYI lost another one this am 4-5 inch koi.

The psychical pond was running for several years, but this year we changed to the tetra water fall, pump, uv light and so on + a new liner. the pond has been running for about 4-5 months with no issues on new system. until a few days ago

There is filtration one filter pad in the skimmer box plus a removable basket, additionally the waterfall has bio balls and two filter pads that water run through. http://www.123ponds.com/tp26596.html see this website for more info on my waterfall filtration. according to company the waterfall alone will filter up to 1000 gallons. my pond is only 332 gallons according to a digital water measure that attaches to the hose.


pond maintenance
50% water changes bi weekly, wash bio ball bags, filter elements (pads) and empty skimmer basket every day. also add easy pro all season pond bacteria bi weekly. with chlorine & heavy metal neutralizer bi weekly with water changes. i have been doing 100% water changes only since this issue.

 

[cas]

I am so sorry about your fish. You have a very nice looking pond.

As Mitch said, you probably have too many fish for your pond.

The ammonia reading of the water should be zero. Ammonia is created by fish waste (from the gills and feces) and decomposing organic matter (algae, plants, animal, uneaten food) . With the addition of more fish, and feeding twice a day, would create more waste, creating more ammonia.

To correct high ammonia readings they recommend partial water changes, 20-40%, so as not to stress the fish.

Also stop feeding the fish so less waste is created.

Did you happen to have an algae bloom before you started losing the fish? Some ponds have very dense algae blooms. When these blooms crash (when the algae starve themselves out) the algae suddenly die, ammonia concentration increases rapidly because the main mechanism for ammonia removal— algae uptake—has been eliminated and the decomposition of the dead algae reduces the dissolved oxygen concentration and pH which increases ammonia and carbon dioxide concentrations.

I hope you don't lose any more fish.

 

[cas]

50% water changes bi weekly, wash bio ball bags, filter elements (pads) and empty skimmer basket every day

I have a similar set up as you do. Are you cleaning the bio balls and filters in your falls box bi weekly? They should be left alone for the season so that the live bacteria can get established and convert the ammonia to nitrite, then to nitrate which then can be used by the plants.

 

[Mmathis]

Might want to stop feeding or feed very lightly.

 

[Mat231v6]

ok today's water test 10:50 8/23/15 ph 9.0, phosphate 0-.25, ammonia 0-.25, nitrite 0. filters cleaned (see above post for my filtration system) , Pimafix by API added per bottle recommendation . Attached is pictures of my two worst Koi. As you can see they have visible body damage and the white butterfly koi has red scraping. plus brown slim is attached to their bodies. they will not eat. the last four that had this same issue went belly up within a day or two. Help.!


i need to have what is going on to their bodies addressed. what is this brown stuff? why does their bodies have visible scraping? what is killing them when they have been living in my pond for years, with a new filter system added 4-5 months ago? Pics attached this time is water test and the current living fish with damage.

 

[Mat231v6]

I have a similar set up as you do. Are you cleaning the bio balls and filters in your falls box bi weekly? They should be left alone for the season so that the live bacteria can get established and convert the ammonia to nitrite, then to nitrate which then can be used by the plants.

cleaning filters and bio balls every day or two... have left alone in the past for a week but since issue has started i have been cleaning daily. i have in the past been adding beneficial bacteria feeding is down to once a day with Medikoi and only feeding a very small amount. that's their only antibiotic. other stuff PimaFix and MELAFIX only treat water from what i read.

 

[Mmathis]

Is that greenish stuff fungal? (Question not being directed at the OP, obviously...)

 

[Mat231v6]

Is that greenish stuff fungal? (Question not being directed at the OP, obviously...)

Are you talking about the pictures of the water test?

 

[Tula]

When you say you inherited these fish from your aunt, were they in a different pond? Are the pictures you posted of them in your pond, or the pond they were in, before you inherited them?

You posted that their injuries look almost like they've been rubbing up against the rocks. That can be a symptom of a parasite, they itch and hence they rub themselves. Parasites are always present in our pond water, but sometimes conditions make our fish more susceptible and once established, often secondary infections develop...ulcers, redness etc.

Your ammonia level was high, this could have stressed them and made them more susceptible....I don't know, conjecture on my part.

Your fish appear to me, to have bacterial infections. If you have a microscope ( or could borrow one) you could scrape and scope them, to learn if there is a parasite....however, they look like they may need antibiotic injections to survive. I want to stress this is only my opinion, based on what I've read and observed over the years. @Dave54 and @Meyer Jordan are our fish experts.

There is also another website devoted completely to the care of koi and they have excellent information and a koi health care committee.

I would not feed these fish at all. I'll keep an eye on this thread and hope for the best.

 

[Mmathis]

Are you talking about the pictures of the water test?

No, the stuff on the fish.