koi sitting on bottom

[Holldoll]

That same koi that got sucked into the skimmer a few weeks ago has been spending the last couple of days just sitting around.  He'll sit on the bottom of the pond, move to the bog, then under the waterfall.  Is something wrong with him?

[jw]

Maybe he's just scared of getting sucked into that skimmer again 

[Julles]

Mine will do that on occasion, but if yours is spending MOST of his time being so lethargic, perhaps there is something wrong.  Can you tell if he has any damage to his skin?  Blemishes like sores or cuts or fungus? 

Perhaps you could isolate him and put him in a quarantine tank with salt and heat.  Be sure to cover it so he can't jump out, and give him an air pump. 

[Esther]

Is he interested in eating?

[Holldoll]

He's eating.  Today his scales are sticking up. I've got him quarantined and in the house and we are treating for dropsy. From what I've read on the internet, his chances aren't great.  Let's hope we caught it in time. Only the top half of him is swollen and his eyes aren't protruding at all. 

[Julles]

Oh god, I lost my favorite fish to dropsy earlier this year.  Correct, there is virtually nothing you can do.  Sure hope it is not that - but it rather sounds like it is. 

It took a while for my fish to die, and when he did, he had hidden himself inside structures in the pond.  I had to drain the whole pond to find his very decomposed body inside a milk crate.  Good thing you have yours quarantined.

[Holldoll]

He pooped sometime during the night, I searched Google to see if that means anything.  I'm taking it as a good sign.  He's definitely not anymore swollen than he was yesterday.  Today I add 3 T. Epsom salt to the water.  Hopefully that will help stop it.  I think I will add some to the pond as well.  What are the ratios that it should be added? 

[yawning fox]

That happened recently to a couple of my big goldfish.  I'm a very new ponder.  The first one died before we could really pay attention to the nuances, but we noticed the second one two weeks later acting weird - just like you described.  I put her in a hospital tank and she acted so much better that we put her back in the pond just a few hours later.  I found her dead two days later.  I will follow your post, hope the best for you, and maybe learn something.  I haven't lost any fish for a few months now so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Anyway, I came to this chat room to find out why my water hyacinth is dying...  Good luck!