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Articles/FAQ
Koi CPR
It's a beautiful morning and, as you take your first sip of coffee of the day, you venture outside to visit your pond. As you focus on your surroundings you realize that one of your Koi is missing! What the heck happened? Well, during the spawning season your male Koi will do almost anything to impress their would-be mates, including jumping. Sometimes the jumping gets a little out of hand and they jump right out of the pond!
If you find your Koi lying beside the pond, there still may be some hope for his survival. Fishy CPR! Don't worry, you don't have to press your lips against theirs! According to an article that appeared in the Southern Arizona Koi Association newsletter, written by Del Pearce, fish CPR basically involves returning the fish to the pond, submerging the fish in the pond, and gently forcing oxygen-laden water through the their gills. This is done by forcing the gills to operate in as normal a manner as possible. There is a small spot at the lower portion of the head (his chin) where the gills come together, if manipulated gently they will cause an almost normal gill action.
The problem with a large Koi is that holding them while manipulating their gills can cause severe bruising on their heads. Additionally, if you can keep the fish moving in a relatively normal manner, this helps also. As long as the fish is still moist, when you find him landlocked, you have a fighting chance of saving him from certain death. In the story told by Del Pearce, it took him an hour of constant work before the fish was revived to the point of swimming on his own. It doesn't always take this long, but it's worth the effort.
This article was taken from the 2001 Summer Edition of Lifestyles Magazine (Watergardening)
This article and more can be found at Nawgs
For more information on sick or injured koi visit Kiovet
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