Coy or Koi

Question
QUESTION: 12 months ago i purchase a house which has two fish ponds. Yesterday i cleaned out these ponds as they were both extremely filthy and dirty. In my second pond which is surrounded by Palm trees, ferns and a ivy i had to cut back a fair bit of these plants as they were in the pond or hovering over it, the pond itself had been overtaken by algae, in the pond is 7 Koi or Coy (i am unsure of the correct spelling) and a couple of small fish which i believe eat mosquito larvae, the pond is approximately 1000 Litres. 1 of the Koi or Coy looks pregnant, once i finished cleaning out the pond and refilling it and i allowed the Koi or Coy to climatise to the water the fish swam in the water just fine for about 30 mins and then they all one by one went on to their side and would occassionally swim around on their side. What i would like to know is are they dieing or is this something that they normally do? I am unsure as to if this is normall behaviour for them as previously we were unable to see them. Can you please help or let me know who or where i can go to find out. Thank you very much as I am worried about my precious fish.

ANSWER: Hi Sheree,
 They are koi.   

 The problem is that the water you used to fill the pond probably  came from a garden hose connected to a municipal water supply.  That water contains chlorine (to kill bacteria and such) but chlorine also kills fish. You need to add a chemical to the water as you add it that neutralizes the chlorine.  There is one of these called Amquel and another called Novaqua, and there are various other ones.

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you. How soon do i need to add this chemical before they die and is it safe to put this chemical in with the fish in??

Answer
Hi Sheree,
 I would add the chemical to the water as soon as possible.  

  In the future, it would be best to pour it into the water stream as the water is entering the pond from the hose -- this will mix it up well.  

-- Ron
  rcoleman@cichlidresearch.com
  Cichlid Research Home Page <http://cichlidresearch.com>