health care |
The goal of all good Koi Keepers should be to maintain a healthy collection of thriving Koi
Unfortunately most koi do not die from natural causes. In the long run you will not be successful with poor husbandry practices and pond design flaws
Now that there is so much information readily available on fish care, there is really no reason not to learn from other peoples experiences
and not at the expense of your fish
Remember, your fish are relying on you to provide for them. The old adage, "An Ounce Of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure" is so true in this hobby
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Unfortunately this female Utsuri has become egg impacted and will need to be euthanized |
This koi likely started its troubles with a parasitic problem that has now blossomed into ulcers |
When treating a fish in the pond, we sometimes leave the patient in a fish cage which avoids the recapture stress of successive treatments |
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Parasites break down into 3 basic groups. Crustaceans like Anchor Worm, Protozoa like Trichodina and Trematodes like Flukes. If left unchecked, they can overcome Koi and become catalysts to other serious bacterial lesions caused by Aeromonas and Pseudomonas. Viruses are not treatable and range from deadly KHV and SVC to harmless Carp Pox. The industry is hoping for a Koi Herpes Virus Vaccine - there have been some progress. I sat in on a lecture when I was in San Francisco in Sept. 2006
Treatment Concepts
First and foremost, you need to test your water and then perform a scrape on the fish to analyze the mucous sample and identify the offending parasite. We perform on-site health consults or will scrape fish at the warehouse for you for only $12.00. With proper diagnoses you avoid conjecture and ensure you treat the problem. Some medications can be harmful so guessing and throwing everything in the pond is not only a waste of time and money, but it can kill your fish before the disease state does |
Prazi-pond
Does not harm your filter and will kill flukes in about a weeks time. The only negative is the high cost
ProForm-C
Broad spectrum treatment which needs to be dosed correctly. Negligible impact on the filter and very effective at eradicating protozoa
ProForm-LA
Kills the likes of the larger crustacean parasites like Anchor Worm and Fish Lice
Debride Deworming Food
Can be fed proactively on a yearly basis to control any internal parasites and worms |
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Bifuran Powder
An excellent powdered bactericide which does not harm nitrifiers in your filter. Finally a excellent replacement for Potassium Permanganate which is not a selective bactericide
Topical Treatments
Debride Medicated Ointment should be applied to seal wounds once they have been cleaned with Povidone-Iodine Ointment
Debride Medicated Food
Antibiotic foods help rid the fish of systemic bacterial infections and should be fed as lesions appear or look like they will appear
Tricide Neo
A powdered bath which is mixed with distilled water to create a strong bactericide which fish are placed in for up to 5 minutes daily for up to 7 days in a row
Injections
In more serious cases of ulceration and systemic infection, injections are often the only hope for the fish. Antibiotics to consider are Baytril, Amakacin, Chlormaphenicol and Azactum. Baytril is a very safe drug, I find Amakacin to be very effective, Chloramphenicol can be deadly to humans (Grey's disease) and we have not tried Azactum (which is very expensive)
Melafix
An excellent natural wound treatment that helps heal injured fish and grow back finnage. Its important to realize that you need to kill the bacteria or offending parasites before wound treatment will truly become effective
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ProForm-C
The malachite constitute of ProForm-C is effective against typical fungus infections (Saprolegnia)
Pimafix
Another natural remedy in the same family as Melafix, (botanical extracts) which if effective at eradicating fungal outbreaks |
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This photo shows a large tumor (circled) that was removed by Dr. Johnson at the Koi Health Management Course, Atlanta 2006 |
It is important to analyze a mucous scrape promptly although I have observed paratsites still active after 2 hours
Effective microscopy takes some practice |
Pictured here is an acute case of fungus
Fungi eat away at the fishes skin and without treatment, can cause death |
I snapped this picture through the microscope ocular lens of a gill snip I took
The gills can harbor parasites and gill examination is important |
This photo of me dissecting a small koi was taken at the Koi Health Management Course at the University of Georgia in 2006
This 3 day course was very informative providing current information |
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Do Not Overstock your Pond
This is a chronic problem, from beginners who don't know any better to experts who are usually skilled enough to get away with it. But this practice will eventually catch up to you. One of my clients is so overstocked, I told him he better get a generator because his fish would not survive much more than an hour or two if there was a power failure. Luckily he did and was able to save his fish during the major blackout that swept Eastern North America in August of 2003
Install a Proper Filter
Unless your keeping fish in such a small number (1 small 6" fish in 1K gallons) then you have to provide proper filtration. This includes at a minimum a bottom drain connected to a settlement chamber and then your chosen system from there. Err on the side of caution, it's impossible to over filter. Read more on the Filtration page
Test the Water
This is often your first clue if something is awry and a regular weekly testing regimen should be in place. It is also the first thing you do if there are any signs of trouble. Test your water, save your fish. Read more on the water chemistry page
Feed the Proper Food
Trout chow is for your guessed it, Trout. Purchase quality staple pellet from several manufacturers and augment these with fresh greens and fruit
Do Not Overfeed
I visit a lot of ponds that have uneaten food floating about. Fish are grazers. I feed my fish 5+ times per day and the food is gone within 30 seconds. On the flip side, many clients have been told not to feed there fish at all which when you think about it, makes no sense whatsoever. Read more on the Feeding Your Koi page
Build a Proper Pond
Fish need to be housed in a non stressful environment which means they have plenty of space to exercise and a deep area to retreat to if they feel threatened. A 10 x 20 x 5 foot deep pond is considered the minimum size by most authorities. Read more on the Ideal Design and Construction Fundamentals pages
Quarantine, Quarantine, Quarantine
Have a separate system set up if you expect to be buying fish. It costs money to run a second system, but once your "no quarantine" routine fails and you lose half your collection, the cost of a second system seems paltry. Bacteria and parasites are also easily brought in on plants so these need to be sterilized. A separate system also allows you to isolate and treat fish
Scope Analysis and Observation
Buy a microscope and scrape your fish at least monthly to check if they are carrying any parasites. You can often eliminate a problem before it has a chance to begin. Keep a close eye on your fish as problems can seemingly arise overnight. You should randomly catch a fish and examine it in a clear plastic bag to check the mouth and belly area for signs of ulcers, parasites etc.
Education
Read, attend seminars and talk to fellow enthusiasts. The more you can draw upon, the better your chances of maintaining and improving your collection. See some of the Outings and Events that are available
Have a Backup
Always ask yourself "What If". For example, on many ponds we build we install 2 pumps on 2 different GFI lines just in case 1 pump fails or a line gets tripped. Remember, Murphy had a pond |
Here are some general tips for treating any ailment
- You can never go wrong by performing a water change of at least 30% as water quality should be impeccable. Of course add water conditioner, ensure treatments have had time to work and be mindful of water temperature
- Maximize aeration at all times
- Accurately know your ponds volume and dose accordingly while precisely following all the dosing instructions
- Observe your fish when treating for any adverse effects
- Some fish may be too weak any may succumb to certain treatments. Consider this before treating
- Adding salt to the pond to 0.3 - 0.5 % is usually advisable except in conjunction with some chemical treatments such as Formalin
- Sometimes results do not come immediately and its easy to get discouraged. But press on - I have seen fish at deaths door recover because the koi keeper did not give up
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