Issue with a mini Koi fish

Question
Hi Tom,

I came home today from work and looked in the tank and 1 of my miniature Koi was lying on its side, every once in a while it will try to swim around but all in manages to pretty much do is spin around.  Then it goes back to the bottom.  It also seems to be breathing really hard.  I've had the fish for just over a year and would hate to lose it.  Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hi Jeff,

There are a number of reasons why fish sometimes swim on their sides or upside down. The most common cause of this is Swim-Bladder disorder. The swim bladder is a small duct above the abdomen which improves buoyancy, it inflates and deflates according to the conditions in which the fish finds itself.

The Cyprinidae family tend to be more susceptible to Swim Bladder defects than other species. The Swim Bladder allows air to leave via the digestive tract so a sudden gorge of food can cause problems. I'd advise maybe withdrawing food for a couple of days to see if he can clear it out himself. Otherwise it will be a matter of careful feeding, lowering water levels and raising the temperature.

Try starving him for two days, then feed him small quantities of a high quality Koi mix. The cheaper varities are usually full of things that swell in the gut, causing air to become trapped. If this doesn't work, don't hesitate to get back to me and we'll take a different approach.

Many Thanks

Tom