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I have about a 700 gallon pond that i
put i this year. I have 3 Koi that are are approx. 8 to 9
inches and 4 that are approx. 5 to 6 inches I brought them
inside this winter because i can't stand not to see them every
day. I have 2 - 50 gallon tanks and separated the large ones
from the smaller ones.They all are flourishing very well,
always hungry and following me whereever I go.
But today I noticed the small ones laying
or resting on the bottom alot and trying to hide under the
plants in a very close group practically one top of one another.
I was wondering if they were mature enough to spawn? Because
they still want to eat and follow me around but not as much.
The tank temp is around 75 to 76
degrees. My bigger Koi that are in another is a liitle cooler
which is down in the basement which I have a heater in and
try to keep it around 71 to 75 I have seen them laying closer
to the bottom, but as soon as they see me they come to the
top. It almost looks to me that it could be a group spawing
but I've never seen one before and I didn't know how old they
had to be?
Thanks
Jen from Michigan
Big fish. Small vats. What kind of filtration
are you using? How often are you water testing and doing
water changes?
The behaviour you are describing is not
spawning behaviour. It sounds more like a response to poor
water quality. You have a lot of fish in not very much water
and are feeding them heavily. If you do not have an active
biofilter on your vats, you probably have very high ammonia
levels in your water by now and your fish are feeling it.
Start by testing your water. High ammonia levels should
be initially treated with a near-100% water change using
a reliable dechlorinator like Stress-kote.
Any filtration you set up now will take
four to six weeks to begin to kick in. Do it anyway and
do daily 25% water changes until your ammonia levels zero
out and stay there. Make sure you watch Nitrite levels as
well. Nitrite is more toxic than ammonia and takes longer
to clear. Cut way back on your feeding until your filters
come on line. Remember to check pH and alkalinity as well.
Go to www.mpks.org and read everything
you can find there about filtration and isolation tanks.
Hope this helps.
Bob Passovoy
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