Have you ever noticed a REALLY fat and bloated fish in the pond and wondered if its an issue?
Having a favorite fish get sick is no fun! If your pond has a bloated fish, it could be one of several issues. Being egg bound or having Dropsy are 2 very common issues.
These fat fish are just carrying eggs.
Egg bound fish?
When fish are carrying eggs they do get larger, but not strikingly so, if that makes any sense! If they are larger in the belly, but not grotesquely so or not swollen more on one side than the other it may just be eggs. They can get “egg bound”.
This can happen when eggs are produced but their ovaries are not mature enough to release them. As the eggs build up, they become impacted. When fish are healthy and spawning, the males will chase and forcefully bump into the female’s sides which assists her in releasing the eggs. If she is eggbound the condition can lead to death.
Spawning evidence
Helping the Egg Bound
Things that help to trigger dispelling the eggs can be a water change (about 20%) or a rise in temperature. Here in Colorado a water change usually means the water temperature will be lower! The pond may be at 75 degrees but you know that hose water around here is cold. One way to get around this is to set up a tank (if you happen to have a stock tank laying around) and fill it with hose water. You could add water conditioner to treat the chlorine and let it sit in the sun for a couple of days. When it is slightly warmer than the pond, do a water change using that water. That way, the temp will go up a little and the water change could help her to lay those eggs.
You can try gently squeezing her. If eggs come out then you are definitely helping! You can also take the fish to see a vet.
What About Dropsy?
Do the scales of the fish seem to be somewhat lifted? If so, it can create a pinecone kind of look. This is an issue called “Dropsy”. Kidney failure in the fish cause by either heart failure, parasites or an infection can cause the kidney problem, which in turn causes fluid to accumulate, causing the bloated pinecone look. While the fish could be removed and treated, it is usually fatal. The fish should be removed from the pond. A culprit of dropsy can be water quality. Test the water!
Kristi's Tips
The best way to keep fish from getting sick is to make sure the water quality is good. How do you do that? Circulation and oxygenation, Plants in the pond and add bacteria regularly! And…
Make sure you aren’t over feeding the fish!
If you are adding fish to the pond, keep them in a holding tank to watch them for disease before adding them to your existing fish.
* This blog was NOT written by AI. This was written by me. I am not a professional writer, I am a pond person. Therefore, if you see a typo, please forgive me!
*No koi were harmed in the making of this content.