fishing lure like fish.. need your help!!

**dave6093** · 11-06-2010, 06:14 PM

hello every one i am new to this forum so bare with me if i do or say something stupid.. haha
well to start off, i have a 45 gallon tank with 4 koi
the koi are still small and were going to be transported to my outdoor pond when they got bigger

shortened down version...
my 2 koi are having fishing lure like symptoms and i fear its killing them and its going to spread to the rest of the koi

longer and more in detail version...
my issue all started about a month and a half ago. it started with one of my favorite koi. it started swimming erratically around the tank, smashing into either sides of the tanks. i immidieatly took the fish out and singled him into a container. i add salt and let him sit for a day or two. a couple days later he was fine and i reunited him back into his tank.
about 2 weeks later from that incident he became sick again but this time he just seemed unballanced. i did that same thing, isolated him into a separate tank. he became more and more unballance and died after 2-3 days.
now about a week ago when i thought every thing was fine my smallest koi is now ill. he is swimming like a fishing lure. when i go up to the tank or around the tank he is spooked and thrashes around. once i saw this i just added salt to the entire tank to treat any thing that might be present.
a couple days later my biggest koi is now doing the same thing and i fear its going to spread to my other koi.
i have another tank but i fear if i put the healthy fish in the other tank they will be infected with this unknown illness and infect the new tank.

sorry for so much to read but i am not sure of any other way to say it.. thanks for any help you can provide me

also.... i will be redoing the entire tank soon but dont know what to do now

thanks again,
Dave

**Sarkazmo** · 11-06-2010, 07:50 PM

Need some more detail here.

Explain exactly what the fish is doing as the fishing lure description is a bit vague at best. Are you saying that he can't control his depth and keeps popping to the surface or what? Pics or preferably a video of the fish in action.

What're the water parameters: What're the readings for Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates as it could be a water quality issue. What's the water's PH and temp as well?

Until we have more info there's just not enough to go on...

Sark

**Mrs.JayMay23** · 11-06-2010, 08:02 PM

sounds like swim bladder maybe... more info please. :)

**smaug** · 11-06-2010, 09:32 PM

How big are the koi,what temp is the tank kept at and do you see and ick symptoms such as salt like lesions on there skin?How about filtration for the tank,was it full cycled?

**dave6093** · 11-06-2010, 11:38 PM

thank you for every ones quick replies.
i have no idea how to upload pictures but i hope this works
i have pictures of the test results and a video of my largest koi. he is not doing what i said that much but you can kind of see it.
i am trying to get my other video up of the smaller, sicker one but it doesnt want to work with me.

to answer the one question.
the healthy koi's scales are looking fine but the sick ones are slightly messed up do to thrashing around the tank. i just notice the sicker of the two now has whiteness on its eye

http://s1122.photobucket.com/albums/...est%20results/

**dave6093** · 11-06-2010, 11:50 PM

got the video of the sicker one up and running tell me if you can see any of this cause i have no idea what i am doing

**smaug** · 11-07-2010, 12:47 PM

You have a cycling tank from your readings. I post this after seeing the pics on my smartphone so I may be wrong. Is that one card the nitrite card? Your fish are dying and are stressed from ammonia poisoning and they will all die unless you get a hold on this now. You need to get 50% water changes going everyday till those ammo readings are gone. Start with a 75% wc right now and start using stresszyme right away to get the ammo at least neutralized. Ill be back with more when I get to a full size screen.

**smaug** · 11-07-2010, 01:10 PM

I just saw your video.That is stress from ammo poisoning.I need to see your nitrite reading.Those koi are way too big to be in that tank for even another month unless it is barebottom with 50% water changes everyday.How big of a pond do you have for them to go into?
Questions I gotta know.
1: how long has this tank been in use
2: How long have the koi been in it
3: nitrite readings
4:temp
5:filter make and model

**dave6093** · 11-07-2010, 01:14 PM

if its stress from ammonia why aren't the rest doing it? would it be safe for me to put them in another tank? will any thing spread to the other fish in the other tank?

just saw you posted again, ill get those for you in a sec

**smaug** · 11-07-2010, 01:18 PM

I cant answer that but I can tell you that you have an ammo reading and that is bad news.Zero is the only acceptable number for ammo.Will you show me your nitrite reading?As long as the other tank you are going to put them in is 55gal or bigger then go for it,otherwise the ammo will shoot up there too.