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Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive

 





 


mandip
New User

Jul 20, 2007, 11:03 AM

Post #1 of 7 (634 views)
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Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive Can't Post
One of my koi's seem to be really sick. This was used to be very energetic and jumping around when it sees someone come by. Now it moves very slowly and always stays near the surface by the waterfall. It's floating on a slant with its head end at the surface and its tail a little lower in the water.

It was flashing constantly so I gave it a salt bath and a 50% water change, its not flashing anymore but moves VERY slowly near the surface. It looks like its about to die FrownUnsure

It doesn't eat as much as it used to.

Anyone know whats wrong or what can I do?

Thanks!


(This post was edited by mandip on Jul 20, 2007, 11:15 AM)


Yinh
Koi Lover

Jul 20, 2007, 6:57 PM

Post #2 of 7 (628 views)
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Re: [mandip] Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive [In reply to] Can't Post
I recommend testing out your water parameters (pH, nitrites, nitrates, ammonia). Sick koi/fish are a reflection of water quality. I've experienced the same problems before with my Koi, and it was very hard for me to try and solve their illness. Please try to describe how the fish looks like--does it show reddness? red/white spots? are red veins visible on their fins/bodies? You can try to take a picture of it and post in here so everyone can have an idea of what the problems is, and people can pinpoint the illness.

In retrospect, I've experienced the same thing with my goldfish, the ones in closer relation to the Carp family, so I assume your Kois share a correlation of illnesses with my fish. What I used to cure their illness was to use PARACIDE GREEN. I turned off all my carbon filters when I used it because the filters with not activate the important contents in PARACIDE GREEN. After putting the bluish-green medicine to my tank with a strapled tube of air for bubbles for circulation, I waited 3-4 hours. Then I turned back on my filters and the medicine slowly began to dissapate. I repeated this process for about 4-5 days once a day, or until the behavior of my goldfish was back to normal--that being the fishes swimming much more actively and excitedly. Please consult someone working at a fish store so they can give more precise information on helping you and I hope my post helps you. Good luck.Cool


(This post was edited by Yinh on Jul 20, 2007, 7:03 PM)


needucho
Koi Lover

Jul 21, 2007, 12:40 AM

Post #3 of 7 (619 views)
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Re: [mandip] Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive [In reply to] Can't Post
.3% salt can only eliminate few parasite beside making the fish more relax. you need to know what parasite on it, guessing around can only prolonge fish misery. please check my post on parasite and bacteria. if you see no lesion on the fish, it still can have parasite on it: in the gill, and that a serious problem. In this case, a microscope is the sure solution. A 65 usd investment on a scope will save you a lot of grief and $ as well as time.
samantha


thkhor
Koi Lover

Jul 23, 2007, 4:00 PM

Post #4 of 7 (589 views)
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Re: [needucho] Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive [In reply to] Can't Post
Hi Samantha

Could you tell us more about the use of the microscope, which you advocate so strongly for diagnosis. Do you anestheize the fish for examination? What does the scope look like? I am familiar with laboratory microscopes, but these would allow only very small fish to be examined!

BTW, my koi appears better after 2 treatments with tetracycline and methylene blue, afew days apart. The scales are not so raised. Will keep it under observation; perhaps will apply a third treatment, but I am not too keen on netting it too often. The rest of the koi are in good health.

THShocked


needucho
Koi Lover

Jul 23, 2007, 11:54 PM

Post #5 of 7 (586 views)
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Re: [thkhor] Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive [In reply to] Can't Post
catch the fish, use a plastic soft spoon, scrape on the fish skin at different locations, mainly at the gill area and pectorial fin area, you will have mucus and parasite in it, bring to the scope in a hurry, spread the mucus on the plate and examine the content, it have to do it in 2 minutes for the max, since parasites are mostly transparent, you cannot see if they are dead (leaving the host and in air it die real fast). see everything moves, that parasite. You can indentify which type of parasite and treat accordingly. However, we have mainly 2 groups of parasite that is dangerous, Fluke and the the rest of them. The rest of them can be eliminated by Proform C or Quick Cure, a mixture of malachite green and formelyn, Fluke is the real problem, there is several medicine to it, but the sure thing is Supavern (it's inexpensive too) Prazzi is too high, several years ago, treat 1000 gallon with Prazzi can cost you $900 USD. Now a little down but still high. Supavern if not shake well can cause redness to the fish. be carefull to use the exact amount. I use for several year with no problem.
samantha


thkhor
Koi Lover

Jul 25, 2007, 10:43 AM

Post #6 of 7 (567 views)
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Re: [needucho] Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive [In reply to] Can't Post
SmileAh, this is using a lab microscope to examine a skin scraping as a wet preparation. Parasites would be easy to identify, bacteria less so, as the magnification has to be much higher, and special staining is required, if I recall from pre-med bacteriology!

Regards

TH


needucho
Koi Lover

Jul 25, 2007, 10:35 PM

Post #7 of 7 (563 views)
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Re: [thkhor] Help! koi is moving very slowly and inactive [In reply to] Can't Post
absolutely true, a scope of 400X will do an adequate job. Meanwhile a larger X will let you see bacteria. But you do not need to, since bacteria exists in all water, even tap water still have some. it's unharm until it was too much of it. Cleanning the filter regularly (where is a breeding house of bacteria) will reduce the population, and unlike conventional thinking, having a large filter as well as bateria house will increase the chance of over populated bacteria. The perfect water is all water parameter is zero, and have the least population of bacteria. Don't seem that bateria house doing it. As far as water parameter, a small filter can easily achieve that. Don't need no help.
samantha

 
 
 



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