O dear, I NEVER have sick fish, and I have a sick fish. What I thought was a late season pregnancy is in fact the dreaded dropsy. And I notice a fairly heavy slime coat on this fish, on another non-metallic burnt orange colored fish, and on the black portions of my showa and hi utsuri, all matte-black or matte-orange coloration, where slime coat is particularly visible. Because we live in the very hot desert, I am most likely to enjoy my fish in the dusk hours or early evening. Consequently, most of my fish are metallic or ginrin for better viewing at night--my mother calls it the Vegas koi collection. It's very hard to see the slime coats on these guys, but if my matte-skinned fish seem grey, can I assume the others are too?
And is a grey slime coat likely to be anything OTHER than costia?
And yes, I know I have a lot of danged nerve even approaching you all for help without water parameters to report. Unfortunately, it all sort of came together in my head under a flashlight inspection tonight. I will do a thorough water test tomorrow.
However, I will tell you that I have been doing 30% water changes with well water each week since bringing a number of fish out of quarantine 4 weeks ago, just to keep water parameters good until my larger pond is completed this month. I am admittedly maxed out in biomass right now, and fish are feeling crowded. I am ashamed of myself. Also that our water temperature has dropped from a constant 86 through the summer to a pretty standard 76 in short order. And that our water is "liquid baking soda" alkaline.
And finally, I am assuming I should euthanize my poor, lovely pinecone. Is there anything, really, to be tried at this point? I don't believe in letting animals suffer needlessly. Salt? Baytril? Or just let her go? 😥