What does my Koi have?

[Philanthropist]

Now I've lost a few Koi in the past due to this and I'm thinking it's dropsy. Well basically the signs are that the Koi is bloated, so its swim bladder has too much air, and that the Koi is lethargic. Usually the night before the Koi is healthy looking and is eating well, but the next they look just as I've described. This has happened to me about three times this year can anyone help out? I'm thinking maybe it may be a bacterial or viral infection because some local house sparrows use my pond as a local watering hole. Thanks.

-Philanthropist (Bryan)

 

[DrDave]

Bryan
Can you post a photo of the fish you think had Dropsy?

If you have muck in the bottom of your pond, or rocks and sand, it becomes septic and that is where bacteria grows that can cause Dropsy. Keep the bottom clean and have plenty of circulation, you will have less opportunity for this to happen again.

 

[Philanthropist]

I purchased this little guy when he was about 1" long, had him for about about 6 months.

 

[DrDave]

This is a great set of photos. Is this fish still alive?

With Dropsy,
1. The eyes are bulging out like they are about to explode.
2. The body is huge as if it had a huge round ball jammed into its somach
3. The scales are standing on end, like a pinecone that is about to shed its seeds.

I don't see Dropsy here.

 

[Philanthropist]

Unfortunately this one has passed. He went about 4 hours after I started the thread. I really cannot figure out what he may have I mean his body was flawless, but he was not breathing and he had undergone Riga-mortis.

 

[The Real Koi Lady]

It doesn't have dropsy. What it has is poor body shape which may or may not be genetic or caused by the type of food, too much food or too shallow/small/crowded of a pond for proper development...or...all the above.

If any of them were lethargic before they died, did you open the gills to see what shade of red they were? Have you check your nitrites, PH, ammonia etc?

Were any of them hiding, flashing, fins clamped, sitting under the waterfall, laying on the bottom, listless at the surface?

What food are you feeding?
Any recent water changes?
Do you ever feed peas?

 

[DoDad]

The first thing you want to do is test your water . Ammonia, Nitrite and pH in the morning and late afternoon. Water chemistry kills more fish than anything.
If everything test good then look for a treatment.