BAD experience with aquarium fish food UPDATE BAD TO WORSE

[chicknmania]

No, Petsmart here doesn't sell pets anymore, just supplies. I think it came from Petland. She is no better reallly. Thought she was dead just now.
idk what else to do.

 

[Malibu99]

Hmm. this is a really silly suggestion- could you isolate her and treat her with Lifeguard? It's saved my fish countless times and cures just about anything (disease wise.) as I said before, silly but might be worth trying. If not, you may want to euthanize her. If you want to know a good method for fish euthanization, let me know.

 

[chicknmania]

What's Lifeguard? After studying lots of info about goldfish, I think "she" might be a he. Still with us, fine as long as he's not eating,
swims around, and seems pretty much ok...but after he eats, he usually goes down to the bottom and lies on his side. It's like he's digesting his meal...then, after a while, a f ew hours, he's basically ok again and off he goes. Only other thing is that when he dives for food, his balance is a bit off. He's usually burping bubbles, which I think is a good thing. We've been doing a partial water change once a week and adding Bioboost and aquarium salt in proportion. Water is still not as clean as I would like, it's pretty high in nitrates, but better than it was.

 

[chicknmania]

Ok, we had a problem with our water change two weeks ago, we think the water was toxic with metal, we have well water. koi suddenly quit eating and became very sluggish almost a week after that water change. His friend the goldfish got worse. So we ran to the fish store for water conditioner this past Monday, and did another partial water change. Which helped a little, he's a little less sluggish, and the goldfish temporarily got a little better. But the koi is still not eating, and he spends most of his time hovering over his friend the goldfish, who is slowly dying and spends most of his time now lying on the aquarium floor. I think that the Koi is stressing over his friend. Just not sure what to do. I hate to just take the goldfish out of the tank and let him, die, because he has struggled so long to stay alive, and we have been hoping he might recover. If he does die I think I will be inclined to go get more fish, because I am pretty sure the koi will quickly die with no friends at all. I know I am speculating here, and there might be something else going on, but what?? The water quality is still not as good as it should be, but it has been slowly improving as far as the nitrate level. I'm about to get bottled water, for crying out loud! What can I do????!!!I have read that Koi are very smart, and I can see that ours is. I would hate to see him kick the bucket, he has been so healthy and happy and growing up til now. The fish store manager is at a loss at this point; she mixed a couple of different kinds of veggie food for them, which did nothing.
She doesnt think we should get any more fisb til the water's perfect and the problem is corrected, but I think the problem will not correct without more fish! We have a loach, who's been fine, as far as I can tell. He is NOT friends with the Koi. Anyone have suggestions? HELP!