Is intermittent gulping for air really benign?

[dtbh]

Many of us have kois that intermittently come to the surface to have a gulp of air and these kois otherwise appear well. I wonder if this action is really benign or is it a symptom of some underlying condition (like mild gill disease)? If one observes the action closely it appears like the kois are "flushing" their gills.

Your comments and experiences will be appreciated.

Thanks.

dtbh

[keokoi]

A good topic for sure...

When I hear this a good inspection of the gills is reccomended. Check the gills they should look like raw meat red.

Another scenario from past experience was too look in the mouth. I found a small sore on the upper roof of mouth closer to lip. This bothered the koi a bit so it kept moving its mouth.

Also string algae can get caught in gills and or a heavy slime coat can coat the gills which make it extremely hard for the koi to breath..

Just some things to take a look at and not rule out..

Joe

[MikeM]

There have been times when a fish would gulp air over a day or so, and then stop. I would get concerned, and start worrying about it, but when just one fish acts peculiar, I'll just observe for a day or two. Then the behavior stops and I'll stop worrying. I've assumed that the fish had indigestion, or something caught in the gills or throat, or was just feeling frisky. It has not occurred to me that there might be a mild gill infection, maybe because the fish act normal otherwise. ....Next time I'll probably worry more!

The only one I have had engage in this behavior more than a day or so is the Showa I mentioned in reply to Hwong's thread on pond length. She had an intermittent air gulping habit before I got her, and it continued for a period of a few weeks after she arrived. I never inspected her gills. I'd be shocked if she had any sort of infection, simply because her prior owner provides an extraordinary level of care to his fish and regularly examines them, takes scrapings, etc.

I think you are right to question the assumption that it is a benign behavior. It is a reaction to something. Maybe an individual sensitivity to something in the water? ....Perhaps similar to a person who sneezes when a particular perfume is in the air? Something benign generally, but the particular fish are bothered by it. It seems such a fad for people to say they "must be allergic to something", but maybe some koi have mild allergic reactions that affect the gills? If so, that could explain the change in behavior of the Showa better than anything I've thought of so far. But, still just another guess on a list of guesses.

[Akinosan]

In my short experience in the hobby, when a fish is gulping for air intermitently, it might be trying to adjust it's swim bladder, or have a swim bladder problem.

[dick benbow]

i ALWAYS FIGURED IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH EQUALIZING THE AIR IN THE SWIM BLADDER. I would see it happen shortly upon arrival after shipment but with some koi it continued on ocassionally for quite a time after?

[keokoi]

Oh after reading the original posts. yes its equalizing for the koi.. You see this a lot after shipments. Lots of it going on as the koi take a big gulp and you see bubbles as the koi goes to a different depth..

I agree Dick....


Joe

[dtbh]

Looks like this is not an uncommon condition. So, my next question is whether we need to do anything (at all) about it. If so, how/what?

Thanks for sharing.