Koi First Aid or CPR

Helpful instructions on how to care for ailing or injured Koi.

Fish Out of Water
Occasionally one of your Koi fish will actually jump out of the water. Using the techniques described below can actually help you to save your Koi’s life if you find it early enough.

After finding a fish outside of water your first step should be to check its gills to see if it is still breathing. If the gills are moving the fish is breathing. If you are lucky and the fish is breathing, quickly get your hands wet using water from the pond and put your fish back into the pond. Those who have a quarantine tank will probably want to place the fish there.

In order to keep on eye on the fish and see how it is doing you will need to stay with it for a couple of hours. Koi are actually very durable and will most often recover if found while still breathing. The larger the fish the better chance it has of surviving such an incident. Koi can actually survive for several hours outside the water, so never begin by assuming a fish out of water is dead.

Your fish may be alive even if you do not notice breathing at first. You may have a chance to save your fish even if it has dried out and is a little stiff. In this case wet your hands with pond water and place your fish back in the tank. In this circumstance hold on to its tail instead of letting it go. In order to fill the gills with water gently pull the fish backwards.

Your next step should be to push the fish forward. You will want to push the fish forward and backward repeatedly. It is important to position your fish next to a waterfall or water return, as this is where it will receive the most oxygen. You may need to get into the pond yourself in order to continue the process, and always remember to be gentle. This process can often take a while, so get as comfortable as you can.

This fish may be dazed and disoriented when it comes to, swimming with its tail up out of the water or its head way down. Let the fish swim on its own even if it is swimming erratically. You should, however, stay nearby to check on the fish and make sure it is recovering.

Watch the fish carefully after if begins to swim independently. Your fish may also have additional injuries that need your attention. You should waist at least a day for your fish to regain their strength before tending to the injuries. This is where an aquarium tank comes in really handy as it gives you a great vantage point for seeing if the injuries are healing.

Fish Gasping for Air Near the Water Return
If you find your Koi near the water return they are trying to get as much oxygen as possible. They are desperately trying to get some air. Your immediate task should be to get oxygen into the water. You need to get oxygen into the water by putting it in contact with air. Begin by pumping water out of the pond as you would for a water change.

The water you are removing has much less oxygen than the new water that you will put in. Another quick way to get oxygen in the water while you are pumping is to throw water up into the air with a bucket and allow it to fall back into the pond.

By throwing it up in the air your goal is to have a much of the water’s surface area as possible come into contact with the air. Do not stop tossing water up in the air as your pump is working. You can begin to replace the water you have removed after about 25% has been pumped out.

Place the new water in your quarantine tank and add the proper de-chlorinator. To put the water in the pond use the bucket, again tossing it in the air and letting it fall into the water. Those without a quarantine tank will need to add small amounts of the de-chlorinator while the water is in the bucket before tossing it in the air.

You will what to increate the aeration in your pond once the situation has stabilized and your fish appear to be getting back to normal. The problem will just keep repeating itself if more aeration is not added. Run out to your local aquarium supply store and purchase an air pump and diffuser if you do not already have one. If your local store does not stock diffusers you may need to purchase several small pumps with air stones that can be placed around your pond right away.

Once the problem is under control you will need to determine why you have low oxygen. Test your pond’s oxygen level so that you can determine the actual level.

To keep your fish healthy you should have 6mg/L at minimum. If you continue to have oxygen problems you may need to install a Venturi and have it run continuously. In order to process waste water you will need to use a lot of water.

More available information to help you with your yard:
Outdoor and backyard ponds
Landscaping around your pond
Pond furniture for relaxation
Home pools
Animals and pets

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