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  1. #1

    "BigBoiKoi" not too well.

    Hello
    With temperatures rising, most of my Koi are feeding steadily (although not eagerly).
    "BigBoi" is large (relative to the other fish), he is about 30" long and got big by being a greedy fish - he is not an old fish. This year he is off his food and is not too active. He's not short of air - I have a moving bed filter and separate diffuser in the pond both bringing air into the water.
    Principal water parameters are OK. and there is no obvious parasite visible by eye (I don't think I could net him easily and I'm not confident about identifying any parasite with a microscope).He has flashed a couple of times but not frequently. My wife thinks he looks a bit swollen, but I'm not sure - also I can't see any raised scales. He's been like this all spring and I was hoping that a return to higher temperatures would have improved his appetite.

    Someone has suggested that the problem might be due to a low level bacterial infection, are there any recommended test kits to see if there is any unwanted bacterial infection in the pond?.

    I am finding it impossible to find any koi health consultant to do a pondside visit - can anyone recommend someone?. I'm near Hatfield in Herts. I have18 fish (most about 20") in a pond of 6,000 gal which has been established for about 25 years.

    Many thanks for any advice

    Rob


    Last edited by RobG; 01-06-2023 at 03:48 PM. Reason: Typo

  2. #2
    Hi/Have you got any clear photos?

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Maddog1 View Post
    Hi/Have you got any clear photos?
    Many thanks for your prompt reply to my question.
    I'm unable to photo him this evening but I'll try to take a couple of photos in the morning and try to tempt him to the surface for a close-up.

  4. #4
    Have you checked your filters for any muck buildup?

  5. #5
    Extreme Koi Member Rank = Kyusai Scamp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobG View Post
    Hello
    With temperatures rising, most of my Koi are feeding steadily (although not eagerly).
    "BigBoi" is large (relative to the other fish), he is about 30" long and got big by being a greedy fish - he is not an old fish. This year he is off his food and is not too active. He's not short of air - I have a moving bed filter and separate diffuser in the pond both bringing air into the water.
    Principal water parameters are OK. and there is no obvious parasite visible by eye (I don't think I could net him easily and I'm not confident about identifying any parasite with a microscope).He has flashed a couple of times but not frequently. My wife thinks he looks a bit swollen, but I'm not sure - also I can't see any raised scales. He's been like this all spring and I was hoping that a return to higher temperatures would have improved his appetite.

    Someone has suggested that the problem might be due to a low level bacterial infection, are there any recommended test kits to see if there is any unwanted bacterial infection in the pond?.

    I am finding it impossible to find any koi health consultant to do a pondside visit - can anyone recommend someone?. I'm near Hatfield in Herts. I have18 fish (most about 20") in a pond of 6,000 gal which has been established for about 25 years.

    Many thanks for any advice

    Rob
    Hi Rob
    have you tested your water parameters to check all is ok?
    Cheers

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Maddog1 View Post
    Hi/Have you got any clear photos?

    Koi A.jpgKoiB.jpgKoiC.jpg
    Here are a few photos:Koi A shows BigBoi from above, Koi B shows BigBoi flipping on side (Does not do this frequently). Koi C is another fish that my wife believes to have a bloated appearance.

    These are not as clear as they could be.

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Maddog1 View Post
    Have you checked your filters for any muck buildup?
    Thank you for your message. No build up in filters. System is gravity fed. I have a drum filter that leads to a large fluidised/moving bed with K! and returns to pond via 2 55W UVs. I regularly pull the drains, most of the muck is extracted by the drum filter. I did turn off the moving bed for a while to see if there was any settlement of waste, when I drained off some water from the bottom of the filter it ran clear.

  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Scamp View Post
    Hi Rob
    have you tested your water parameters to check all is ok?
    Cheers
    Many thanks for your message. Readings fairly steady over past month. I have been slowly building up water return rate over the past several weeks with increase in post-winter feeding. Main parameter steady over past 8 weeks as follows:
    Nitrite about 0.01mg/l, Nitrate about 10mg/l, Ammonia is zero. I have replaced some of the plants in my floating island so it will take some time to balance with some nitrates leaching from aquatic compost Will also take some time for filter to continue to mature after winte. I have some live bacteria to boost filter but am waiting for improvement in fih before doing that.

    thanks for your help
    Rob

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by RobG View Post
    Koi A.jpgKoiB.jpgKoiC.jpg
    Here are a few photos:Koi A shows BigBoi from above, Koi B shows BigBoi flipping on side (Does not do this frequently). Koi C is another fish that my wife believes to have a bloated appearance.

    These are not as clear as they could be.
    Hi/ From what I can see from the Photos,the Fish look quite normal.Just like all humans,they have different body shapes. What are your water temps like, Are you heated?

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by RobG View Post
    Thank you for your message. No build up in filters. System is gravity fed. I have a drum filter that leads to a large fluidised/moving bed with K! and returns to pond via 2 55W UVs. I regularly pull the drains, most of the muck is extracted by the drum filter. I did turn off the moving bed for a while to see if there was any settlement of waste, when I drained off some water from the bottom of the filter it ran clear.
    Do you regularly clean the chute in the drum etc? Did you look under the k1, to see if there was any build up. Seen a Guy on you tube and the K1 had sank and was clumping and trapping all the
    muck.

  11. #11
    Hello, Panic over .. (well subsided anyway)
    A koi care professional had a look over the fish this afternoon and reassured me that there is no cause for alarm.
    He said that whilst some days are warm now, the water temperature is still overall coldish because of low nightime temperatures, as Maddog1 was probably leading to.
    ( Re question of K1 clumping - I think it's unlikely as the moving bed filter I made has air bubblers above and below a mesh that sepatates the K1 from a space that I intended to form a sump that any heavy muck or accretion could settle into. The water from the sump runs clean but I'm taking Maddog1's warning very much to heart - Ill give the K1 a stir tomorrow and have a look to see if the water from the sump stays clear.

    It was also pointed out that "BigBoi" is actually "BigGal" and the bloated appearnce is due to eggs!.

    So panic over for now. I would very much like to thank the members of the forum for so quickly getting involved, especially Maddog1 and Scamp. Thankfully my problem was not a rapidly developing one, but I have heard of situation that can rapidly get critical and it's good to know that members of this forum are so ready to get involved.

    Many thanks

    Rob
    Last edited by RobG; 02-06-2023 at 06:22 PM.

  12. Thanks Maddog1 Thanked / Liked this Post
  13. #12
    Great News Rob, Were always here for one another.

  14. #13
    The BigGal (doitsu karashigoi?) is certainly beautiful with a wonderful body conformation!! The amazing fact is she keeps eating but grows longer/thicker as opposed having a hanging belly like some greedy fish do.

    I can just make from the first and second pics that her pec and fail fins look a tad pink - assume you weren’t trying to net/stress her - this COULD be early signs of bacteria infection. Better safe than sorry. If you have some Virkon or Chloramine T - it won’t be a bad idea to put in a single dose and repeat after 3-5 days. You have a big pond and water will take longer to warm up. Do you know water temp? Mine is 18D at warmest time of day but I have a smaller pond

  15. #14
    Pec and tail fins

 

 

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