The swim bladder is a sac-shaped organ filled with air which functions to regulate the fish’s float in the water, so that the fish does not need to swim continuously to maintain its position. Some common abnormalities or problems with the swim bladder are the result of internal injuries or bacterial infections.
Signs of disease: Abnormal swimming appears to cause loss of balance, it seems difficult to maintain its position in the water, koi float or sink as a result of the organs not being able to expand and contract, appears to swim with its head or tail down (floating on one side of its body) and swim upside down.
Swim bladder abnormalities in koi fish swim with their heads down.
The cause is systemic bacterial infection. There is pressure on these organs as a result of tumors, dropsy or constipation.Shock causes the fish to lose balance. Prevention and treatment is maintain water qualityUse of antibiotics, move the infected koi to a quarantine container with a warm temperature: an increase of about 5 Celsius from the normal temperature, leave the koi in shallow water. If within 3 days there is no improvement in the treatment period then euthanasia may be a good solution to reduce the koi’s suffering.
