First Aid Kit for Goldfish and Koi can come in handy
If you keep goldfish long enough, you’re going to have the need for a first aid kit. Just like humans, accidents happen to goldfish too, and just like with humans, goldfish can get sick or develop issues. Perhaps a child finds the goldfish food and dumps the entire container into the water. Perhaps a fish was to jump out of the tank, or was when being moved. If or when you have an emergency, don’t panic. Moving too quickly could cause further injury
The fish in the photo below has a stone stuck in a nostril. What would you do?
Goldfish first aid
The more you know about goldfish, the safer you can keep your fish from injury
Goldfish recovering from injury, trauma or sickness heal much faster in water that is rich in value. Raise GH (general hardness) and KH (carbonate hardness) to high end of the comfort zone. Combine with H202 and your fish will mend quickly. What every goldfish needs is healthy water; rich in oxygen and minerals
Goldfish have been revived after being deprived of oxygen for 36 hours
If your set up does not include a pond pump, it should. Every good goldfish house should have one if not two or three (depending on size) pond pumps. Pond pumps deliver the right kind of action for eliminating carbon dioxide (Co2) from the water. This gas, although harmless, fills the body of water keeping oxygen from entering
Goldfish safety
Oxygen enters from the surface. If your tank is covered, the water is low in oxygen. In order for water to support oxygen, it must have a high carbonate value, the surface must be exposed to fresh moving air and the body of water must be free. Shallow water is easily oxygenated by an agitated surface, and a pond pump will not be necessary. Set up a fan that skims the surface. The movement will pull oxygen into the body of water from the air and pull Co2 from the water
The fish in the photo below is getting ready to undergo a procedure, and has been anesthetized for the 5 minute duration
Read about oxygenating water and water parameters 10 Steps to Goldfish and Koi Keeping
Items needed for kit
Gallon container (or appropriately sized) for 911 bathes
Blunt nose tweezers
Syringe
Eye dropper
Water treatment that converts chlorine, ammonia, nitrite, nitrates to a safe form
Raises pH by raising carbonate (KH) mineral and oxygen levels
Increases slime coat and improves gill function
First aid kit for goldfish and Koi
Whenever possible treat sick or injured goldfish in their goldfish house. All of the treatments recommended here are not only safe, but are beneficial for all goldfish. If you need to relocate the fish because it is too weak to navigate a tank or pond
Goldfish suffering from nitrate issues must be kept in deep water at all times
Read about isolating goldfish Hospital Tanks
Handle and relocate goldfish by scooping them up in a plastic bag or container; keep them in the water at all times to reduce stress. Nets can injure goldfish. Only use a net to capture, but never lift it above the surface with a fish in it
Goldfish can be compared to human toddlers. It’s up to us to keep our toddlers from harm’s way. They haven’t learned what is safe, and what is not safe. Baby proofing their tanks or ponds is another way we can lessen the risk of an accident
Every first aid kit should include Oop Boost
Keep water parameters in the comfort zone
Some plastic plants and some decorations have sharp edges which can injure a goldfish
Do not use sand or painted gravel as substrate; use natural pea gravel
Keep your tanks open and exposed to fresh air
Keep your tank or pond water oxygenated by using real pond pumps
All filters should have a sponge placed over the intake
Perform small and frequent water changes to keep nitrates consistently low
Encourage algae growth as a healthy food source for your fish and a means of reducing nitrates
Keep your water table below the top of the tank or pond. This area should match the length of your longest fish
Do not place your tanks over vents or in direct sunlight
Goldfish & Koi Articles
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Author: Brenda Rand