Oxygen deficiency in the Koi

 

Koi and other fish need oxygen to live. They do not get this in the air, but filter it out of the water through their gills. It is therefore important that there is always enough oxygen in the water. A lack of oxygen can be life-threatening for the koi. How can a lack of oxygen be recognized? And how can this be fixed? How long do koi fish live? There are answers to these questions in the guide.

Symptoms of lack of oxygen in koi fish

There are several symptoms that suggest a lack of oxygen. However, it should be noted that these symptoms can also have other causes.

Increased breathing rate

Koi filter the oxygen from the water with their gills. To do this, they take in water through their mouths and guide it to the gills. Oxygen exchange takes place in the gills, which are well supplied with blood. Oxygen is absorbed into the blood and carbon dioxide is released from the blood into the water as a respiratory product. The low-oxygen water is then excreted again via the gill cover. This process can be observed very well through the movements of the mouth and the gills. If the koi cannot filter enough oxygen out of the water, it increases its breathing rate to compensate for the deficiency. The koi looks like it is panting. He needs the oxygen to be able to carry out vital metabolic processes.

No early morning hunger

When koi eat, the koi food needs to be digested. Then the metabolism runs at full speed and needs a lot of oxygen. If there is now a lack of oxygen in the pond, this can mean that the fish no longer eat anything out of self-protection. This can be observed especially in the morning hours because the pond contains less oxygen in the morning than during the day. This is caused, among other things, by algae, which increasingly withdraw oxygen from the water at night.

Snapping to the surface of the water

If the fish are snapping violently at the surface of the water, they are doing very badly and are on the verge of suffocating. These signs would be preceded by other symptoms such as increased breathing rate. The koi that swims snapping on the surface of the water is in mortal danger.

Development of lack of oxygen

There can be various reasons for the lack of oxygen in the water and the fact that the Koi suffers from a lack of oxygen.

How much dissolved oxygen is in the water depends on the water temperature. The warmer the water, the worse the oxygen dissolves in it. At the same time, the animals' need for oxygen increases in warm temperatures. On hot days, this can quickly lead to a lack of oxygen in the Koi.

The plants absorb carbon dioxide during the day and convert it into oxygen in the light-dependent photosynthesis. But plants also consume a little oxygen through breathing, which mainly takes place at night. This can cause the oxygen concentration in the pond to be very low in the morning. This becomes dangerous with an algal bloom, which multiplies so rapidly that it uses up all oxygen and the fish can suffocate.

It should be urgently avoided that the Kois get into this situation too often. Even if they can be helped through immediate measures, this weakens the animals. And weakened animals are more prone to disease. A deficit of oxygen can also affect the growth of young koi.

Quick help in the event of a lack of oxygen

If the Koi show signs of lack of oxygen, quick help is needed to prevent them from suffocating. An aerator pump can be put into operation in combination with an aerator rod. The fine pores in the rod create very fine air bubbles that bring oxygen into the water. At the same time, fresh tap water can be run into the pond. As a third measure, oxygen tablets can be thrown into the pond, which also quickly provide oxygen in the water.

Proper planning against lack of oxygen

In the long run, however, the immediate measures are not the right solution to react to a lack of oxygen. It is much more important to have this aspect in mind when planning the pond and to design the pond accordingly. To avoid excessive heating in summer, the pond should never be completely exposed to the blazing sun. On the one hand, shady areas serve as a retreat for the fish and they avoid excessively high water temperatures. Heating up is also reduced with a deep pond. The sun warms the water in the shallow water zones. In the deeper zones, the water remains cool and the circulation prevents the pond from heating up completely. Through sufficient planting with underwater and floating leaf plants kA lack of oxygen can also be prevented, as the plants always produce more oxygen than they use. The fish stock must be adapted to the size of the pond. The pond must not be overloaded with fish.

An algae bloom can be avoided by giving the fish only as much food as they can eat within a very short time. If the algae do multiply, they can be fought with an algae destroyer.

Oxygen can also get into the water through design elements on the pond such as a stream, a fountain or waterfalls. The moment water moves and splashes, it absorbs oxygen, which is available to the fish. In general, moving water is richer in oxygen than moving water.

With good planning and good observation of your own koi, a lack of oxygen should be avoided. This has a negative effect on the health and growth of the animals. In extreme cases, the koi can suffocate in the absence of oxygen.