Lost a wakin today

[Mudsow]

Have no clue why. Still had the 2 wakin and the one koi in quarantine. It's been almost 4 weeks and I was set to transfer them to the pond next week. I treated with program and prazi. That was 3 weeks ago.

Fish have had NO symptoms from the get go. Bright eyed and swimming fine. In fact I was excited that they have been greeting me for crab meat daily.

Then woke up this morning to one wakin swimming lazily along the surface. His mouth wasn't moving but his gills were slowly. I scooped him up to look at his mouth thinking I missed some mouth rot cause he had cute red lips. But nope, mouth opened fine, no scarring. Then he just stopped breathing right in my hand.(still in the water by the way)

I've attempted an autopsy.
http://www.koivetforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18319

But all seems normal to me. I wonder what happened? At any rate, these guys will be spending a bit more time in quarantine, just to be safe.

Mudsow

[Jackie Ramo]

I am sorry to hear that you lost the fish. We often forget that mother nature is a miracle in making any living thing and sometimes they are not perfectly made. I'll have a look at the autopsy but REC as you know is the best source for fish insides.

I'd not necessary rule out parasites but I'd not medicate the others either.

[Merlin]

Sorry about the loss of your fish :( , I have just checked your autopsy photos, I must say you did an excelent job. I had to do an autopsy on a large Koi some time ago ( my first one), I wish I had taken the time to photo and list each part the same as you have done.

[Jackie Ramo]

I admit that when I have had the opportunity to do an autopsy I have not done it. I regret somewhat not doing it but I could not bring myself to cut poor Sweet up. I believed he had a tumour for years as he had a swelling on one side but didn't want to know badly enough what killed him I guess.

Another fish may have been a different matter.

[luke frisbee]

wakins are the tough fish, but they have alot of genetic variation, and WILL internally fall apart for no reason....I've lost 2 out of 10 this Summer...they aren't culled and have issues...they will be lively one day and dead that night...I think mine die when the big koi take their pellet-stealing PERSONAL.

[Mudsow]

Thanks Luke that's good to know.(did I really say that !wow! )
It just baffled me, he was literally fine one day and floating the next. I couldn't find anything. That's what drove me to cut him open, and even still everything looked "normal" to me.

The other fish in the Q tank are still doing great. It will however make me wait a bit longer to move them.

And Jackie, I know what you mean. If it had been HUGE Cheerio my avatar fish, I don't think I could have gutted her. But this little wakin wasn't too tough to dissect. I figured it would be a good learning tool.

Well, fingers crossed for the one wakin left :wink:

Mudsow

[Jackie Ramo]

Well frankly, I've gutted many a fish in my time but never a pet. There is a difference there somewhere.

Hopefully your little wakin will be just fine. I'd still like a couple of those but so far no room at the inn. How's the new big tank and filtration working out?

[Mudsow]

So far so good, thanks for asking. I've tweaked it a bit here and there. Still haven't finished the new 55gal trickle filter to replace the 2 smaller ones I have, but I added a home-made venturi that's working quite well !strut (I was proud of me)

And I changed the return line from 1/2" tubing to 3/4" pvc. WHAT a difference in volume that made. I have MUCH more circulation now. No more dead spots!!! :grin:

The fish seem happy, although they need a few BIG water changes to reduce some nitrate. The city has been flushing water mains this week so I've put water changes on hold till they are done. Don't know what kind of nasties will be in the water.

So maybe next week if the other 2 fish don't show any wear and tear, I'll put them with the BIG guys. They just seem so itsy bitsy to put in with the MONSTERS :lol:

See ya,
Mudsow

[Jackie Ramo]

I'm proud of you to!! Good work. Inspires me but I haven't made a move yet :(

Do remember though that the fish need a spot to rest out of the current or where there is little current. Father who ran a bait shop found this out the hard way when tanks of minnows kept dying. Found out they were dying of exhaustion, even river fish need to rest. Once he blacked a spot for them not more deaths.

[Mudsow]

Jackie not to fear, I've got current, not rapids :grin:

It's enough to move the poop around but not enough to move a whale :wink:

They do however like to play in the venturi bubbles.

They just sit at the bottom to rest. Sometimes I go down there at night and sneak up on 'em. I still think it's funny that fish sleep.

Mudsow

[Jackie Ramo]

I figured you'd know that fish do sleep and some of them quite heavily. I can almost touch Elf my chagoi when he is sleeping in the lilies and have poked Bullet the sarogoi to move her out of the way.

[Terri]

Never seen our fish sleep... :confused:

Sorry to hear about the little wakin Mudsow, but good on you to investigate! I've done my share of cutting/probing and although I've learned a lot I do not enjoy it.

[Mudsow]

Terri, really ?? You've never seen your fish sleep???

I think it's a riot. Like Jackie said, you can literally touch some of them when they're sleeping. My angelfish are the same way. If you come down at night with the lights off, they are still on the bottom. Even if you turn the light on, it takes them a few seconds to come to.

Mudsow

[Jackie Ramo]

Terri doesn't feed her fish so they are starving allthe time and have no time to sleep :lol: