Introduction
Some of the information and research findings on treatments
medications available on this page has been reprinted with
the kind permission of World Renowned Koi Vetinary Surgeon
Erik L Johnson D.V.M. at www.koivet.com for which we are
most grateful.
Good water quality is, without a doubt, the most
important factor in ensuring the health and vitality of your
koi. Koi are generally hardy and will survive a wide range
of adverse environmental conditions. Koi that are
thriving always seem active and able to shrug of minor
bumps, bacterial infections and parasitic problems.
They will be keen to feed, producing good growth rates and
maintaining excellent coloration. In order to get the most
pleasure from keeping koi, firstly learn how to maintain
ideal water conditions and then leave the koi to look after
themselves.
If there is such a thing as a magic cure-all for koi health
problems, then it is the biofilter. Think of yourself not as
a koi keeper, but as a biochemist, cultivating a colony of
nitrifying bacteria within your filter.
The koi in your pond are merely there to keep your biofilter
functioning to the best of its abilities. The most useful
tool the Koi keeper has is the biofilter, be sure to know
how it works and how to keep it working by feeding the
correct amounts and maintaining good water quality both for
the Koi and for the nitrifying bacteria within the
biofilter.
For the latest addition to our filter range see our Bio
home.
However you may from time to time experience problems with
your Koi so we attempt her to provide you with a general
guide to koi ailments and medications.
There is and probably always will be much controversy over
which, or what, is the best medication to use for a
particular purpose - whether it be for the water or the koi.
We at Karobar Koi are happy to advise on treatment and
medication, Barrie is possibly one of the most health
consensus koi importers in the country, the treatments and
products that we sell are all tried and tested on our own
stock over many years and used in accordance with the
manufactures instructions will help solve any health problem
that your koi might have. Koi Pond Treatments can be found
under Medications
When using our proprietary brand medications for your sick
or damaged koi you will need a suitable bowl in which to
place the Koi in order to properly examine it.
There are many suitable containers on the market ranging
from the traditional 'Baby Bath' and as you would expect
there are many various shapes and sizes available from our
stock range.
TREATING
Having selected the correct bowl for the job, put enough
water in the bowl so that the Koi can move freely ,add some
anaesthetic, just enough to gently put the Koi to sleep
whilst you go to work on the infected, or damaged, area.
It is important that you do not put too much anaesthetic in
the bowl, better to add a measure of anaesthetic when the
Koi has settled down in the bowl and see how the Koi reacts
during the next few minutes' if it shows no sign of the
affects of the anaesthetic then add just a little bit more.
Eventually the Koi will lay on its side, at this stage the
fish may not be completely under the anaesthetic and should
be left in the solution until it can be lifted just clear of
the water without flapping, if it flaps it should be placed
back into the bowl.
When it can be lifted out without flapping, carefully lay
you koi on a wet towel ready for treatment.
If you are in any doubt about treating your koi then we
advise that you seek professional help and guidance.
Your local veterinary surgeon will be able to supply you
with anaesthetic or issue a prescription. There are
anaesthetic's suitable for Koi on the market one is based on
Benzocane and the other is known as MS222 which has been
produced especially for anaesthetizing fish.
We cannot in the space of this web site discuss the range of
ailments that your koi may be in contact with nor the
specific manner in which to treat them but merely attempt to
provide a very general guide, if you have a specific
problem, Barrie will always be happy to advise you.
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TOPICAL DRESSINGS
There are many topical dressings, as such, that can be
obtained from ourselves we will also provide you with our
best advice on their usage.
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POND TREATMENTS:
SALT:
Salt is probably one of the best forms of pond and water
treatment available and at a very minimal cost ... and salt
added to any pond or tank at the rate of 1/2 ounce to the
gallon is extremely beneficial, but please seek advice from
your Koi Dealer before increasing the dosage rate for
whatever reason.
Salt is not always the easy answer and is really a
preventative rather than a cure.
It's no good treating a pond for a certain problem if that
problem does not exist, It is vitally important that you
identify the problem whether it is a parasite or some other
problem ,It must be identified first
There is only one sure way of Identifying a particular type
of parasite, and that is by using a good quality microscope.
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THE MOST COMMON
PARASITES:
There are many parasites that invade our Koi and even before
you have identified the particular parasite you will know
from the way your Koi are behaving that there is something
wrong.
They may be 'Flicking' off the bottom drain top or some
other object, indicating that they have an 'itch' or
something is bothering them. If there is just a single Koi
that seems to be troubled - then the problem may not be so
bad as to warrant treating the whole pond, if however you
have a few Koi doing this and jumping out of the pond in an
attempt to shake off the parasite - then this is a clear
sign that something is seriously wrong.
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IDENTIFY
THE PROBLEM BEFORE TREATING
Having identified the problem or parasite, you now need to
treat the koi in the most effective manner to eradicate the
problem.
Before going on to diagnosis, treatments and the remedies
etc., the following points are important to your Koi, your
system, and your own understanding, if the problems are to
be kept to a minimum and to ensure that any treatment given
will be both effective and safe for your koi. together with
the treatments, if required.
Ensure that you know the exact volume of your system
including the filters.
The dosage rates that we shall be quoting are accurate and
whilst a 15% under dose can be ineffective - a 15% overdose
can be dangerous ! Never try to guess the volume of your
system if you do not know it DO NOT TREAT IT
The anti-parasite medications specified are NOT FISH
TREATMENTS they do nothing medically for your Koi.
They are purely to eradicate the parasite that is irritating
your Koi.
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Waterborne Parasites
can be divided into two
sections, namely those we can see with our eyes and the ones
we can't see without the aid of a microscope.
All parasites live on parts of our Koi, be it just the mucus
membrane, the dermal layer of the skin itself or the
bloodstream and flesh.
Each adult parasite lays many eggs, many parasites do not
require a partner to reproduce. Many of these eggs stay in
the mucus membrane, others are swept into the filtration
system where they will hatch and the cycle will continue
with an even greater infestation.
The actual life of these parasites is not very long -
probably on a few weeks depending on the water temperature.
Parasites are usually introduced to our ponds by Frogs.
Newly purchased Koi may be carrying a parasite and even the
most careful dealer cannot be sure that his Koi do not carry
a single parasite.
Parasite infestation can damage the fine mucus membrane in
the gills reducing the amount of oxygen available for the
Koi, and the secondary risk of bacterial gill decay, usually
is followed by death.
Parasites also cause Ulcers, they bore holes to enter the
body through the protective mucus membrane, an ideal place
for the parasites to colonizes and infect.
We can never eradicate the problem of parasites on a
permanent basis.
The medications and the dosage rates quoted are only
intended to be used with an adequate filtration system
running as normal although it is recommended that in certain
circumstances, depending on the medication being used, that
the Ultra Violet Sterilizers be switched off and do not run
your return water through a sand pressure filter for a
period of no less than 24 hours as these will reduce the
effectiveness of the treatment. There is no single treatment
that will eradicate all of the parasites.
Different parasites require a different treatment and with
some of these treatments the dosage rates can vary.
Medication treatments are usually effective within 2 to 6
hours following their application, the unhatched eggs
however will not be affected at this stage and although the
adult parasites may have been eradicated - these eggs will
continue to hatch and therefore the pond should receive a
second treatment approximately 10 to 14 days later.
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HANDLING
CHEMICALS & MEDICATIONS
PARASITES AND METHODS OF CONTROLLING THEM
Parasites visible to the naked eye:
ARGULUS or FISH LOUSE.
This parasite and its eggs are commonly introduced by Frogs
and Toads. It is easy to detect, especially on the fins or
light coloured areas of the Koi.
The size of this parasite vary between 1mm to 5mm in the
adults. They are greenish brown and they attach themselves
to the Koi by the suckers they use to hold onto the body of
the Koi - they also inject a poison into the Koi which
causes inflammation and possibly bleeding from the wound.
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LEECHES
Although uncommon in purpose built Koi ponds they are
usually visible and look like a small flat worm between 5mm
and 20mm long. They are brownish red in colour and again
these attach themselves to the Koi by their suckers.
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Method of Eradication:
To eradicate both of these parasites quickly, with the
water temperature be above 48 degrees, use Masoten which is
an organophosphate-based drug produced especially to combat
some of the Water-borne parasites - it is made in Japan
although supplies are increasingly difficult to obtain.
Method 1:- Masoten Powder at the rate of 1 gram per
ton (220 gallons) of pond water. Measure out the
quantity required and mix in a plastic bucket or similar
(not metal) making sure that all the powder is dissolved
and when the water is clear and a beautiful pale blue
(like aquamarine) pour the solution round the edge of
your pond - if you cannot get right round your pond then
pour where there is a good flow of water which will
disperse the medication quickly into all areas of the
pond.
Method 2:- Masoten Liquid at the rate of 5ml per ton
(220 galls) of pond water, mix and disperse as above.
A second dose should be administered 10 days later at
temperatures between 48 and 58 degrees, but if the water
temperature is above 58 degrees then this should be
brought forward to 7 days.
LERNEA or ANCHOR
WORM:-
Can be very troublesome if left unchecked, with the adults
reaching 12 mm in length - it is greyish white in colour and
attaches itself to the Koi by using hooks, or anchors as the
name applies, boring into the skin tissue by first getting
under a scale. Only the tail of the anchor worm is visible
and looks like a short length of cotton. Anchor Worm needs
treating quickly before a secondary infection.
Method of Eradication:-
The only known method of killing this parasite, without
killing the Koi is DIMLIN POWDER which can be used
safely at any water temperature and has an action of
sterilizing the adult and larval stages of this parasite
which insures that all eggs produced, after the
application of Dimlin, will not hatch.
Method:- Dimlin Powder at the rate of 1 gram per ton of
pond water. Measure out the quantity required and mix in
a plastic bucket with pond water ensuring that the
powder is dissolved then add to the pond in the previous
manner. A second dosage may be needed to ensure that the
life cycle of the Anchor Worm has been halted. After
this second application the dead adults, which will
still be hanging from the Koi, can be removed using
tweezers but making sure that the hooks, as well as the
tail of the Anchor Worm are removed and then apply a
proprietary Topical dressing to prevent a secondary
infection.
There is another way of removing Anchor Worm but more
care has to be taken to remove all parts of the Anchor
Worm ... that method is.... mix a strong solution of
Potassium Permanganate crystals of 1 gram into 25mls of
hot water. Mix well until dissolved and then dip the
tweezers into this solution prior to the removal of the
Anchor Worm, once the solution touches the body the
Anchor Worm releases its grip immediately and it can
then be lifted clear of the Koi and the water, wipe the
end of the tweezers on a clean tissue to remove all
traces before attempting to remove another Anchor Worm.
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lukes
cause Ulcer Disease. Other parasites can transmit and cause
ulcerations, but none so effectively as the pathogenic
trematode, or FLUKE.
Eradication
Assume that if you're treating bacterial infections, you
also have concurrent infection with Flukes. The flukes
are easy to diagnose with a microscope. However, they
are also easy to treat with Potassium permanganate
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Trichodina
This is a ciliate protozoan that is perhaps
the most effective parasite at causing FLASHING. Spiderweb
lesions in the skin are also a key finding. Again, a
microscope is the diagnostic effort of choice.
Eradication
Trichodina usually clears well and quickly with salt.
(Three pounds per hundred gallons, non iodized salt) but
there is at least one Japanese strain which must be
treated with Potassium to clear. Still, I recommend a
fair effort FIRST with salt and then if the microscope
tells you there're still Trichodiniid organisms on your
fish, treat with Potassium.
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Freshwater Ich
Ichthyophthirius multifilis- is a killer of very small
fish, and can cause "redskin" disease in the winter
regardless of fish size. Look closely at gill tissue under
the microscope to be sure to exclude this pathogen, because
it does not usually cause the typical "white spot" syndrome
as in other fish. Therefore, it's often an overlooked
diagnosis.
Eradication
Clears easily with Salt (0.3%) but sometimes takes four
to five days because the epidermal phase is safe from
treatment.
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Chilodonella -
SPRINGTIME QUICK KILLER
Chilodonella - "Killer Don" as referred originally by Dr.
Jack Gratzek - this is the one that kills so many fish so
fast in the Springtime.
Eradication
Treats easily with salt, never seen an exception. Clears
almost overnight, so salting can save the lot of fish.
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Anchor worm - Lernea
elegans.
If you can *see* the parasites - you can kill it with
Dimilin.
Eradication
The Dimilin is a gyrase inhibitor added directly to the
water, is non toxic to fish and clears this
chitin-synthesizing parasite within three to four days.
Pull off the Lernea if it's easy, or leave them on -
whatever - but be SURE to treat with Dimilin, instead of
wasting precious time and taking undue risk with
organophosphates.
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Argulus - Fish Lice - this
crustacean parasite is common especially in the Autumn for
some reason.
Eradication
Here again, if you can see the parasite, you can kill it
with Dimilin. It's wonderful stuff but sometimes hard to
get.
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BACTERIAL INFECTIONS
Bacterial infections may take the form of at least
five different conditions.
- Mouth rot
- Body sores
- Fin Rot
- Sudden Death
- Redbelly
- Pinecone Scales.
Bacterial infections are generally the result of several
different stressors. A Stressor is a condition which causes
the fish to have to adapt - such as:
- PARASITES (the number one cause of Ulcer Disease)
- Cold water
- Winter's starvation
- Crowding
- Crappy, corn-based diets.
Dropsy is the condition in
which the body is diffusely infected with bacteria and the
scales generally stand out from the body. In some cases,
this is also caused by Costial infection (see parasites) but
usually it's a terminal result of the bacteria attacking the
KIDNEY of the fish. Many treatments have been tried with
only a one-to-five percent favorable outcome. Dropsy, also
known as Bloater or Pinecone disease, is usually caused by
bacterial invasion of the fishes' kidney.
There IS a sporozooan parasite that can damage the Kidney
this way, called Mitraspora cyprini, but I have yet to see
this on a necropsy. Dropsy is, for all intents and purposes,
untreatable, based on 7 years experience, using the
following drugs: Azactam, Baytril, Chloramphenicol,
Gentamicin, and Amikacin. I have tried a Sulfa drug, brand
name Albon, and that did not resolve the problem either.
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Bacterial Dropsy
Bacterial Dropsy
is usually caused by Aeromonas
or Pseudomonas bacteria. By the time the fish "blows up" and
the scales protrude form the body, the damage to the kidney
is so profound that recovery is impossible. If you must try
to save the fish, Isolate the specimen, elevate temps while
elevating oxygenation, and begin injecting antibiotics
intraperitoneally. You could also feed the antibiotics in a
medicated feed.
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Ulcer Disease
Ulcer disease is almost always caused by Aeromonas
bacteria or more rarely Pseudomonas bacteria. Clinically, I
wouldn't know which because I rarely culture the pathogen.
Why not? Because the results could take a week to return,
and by that time, all the affected specimens would be dead.
I have treated ulcer disease with the following drugs:
Enrofloxacin, Chloramphenicol, Gentamicin, Amikacin,
Tetracycline, and recently, Azactam. I inject these drugs.
No discussion of this problem would be complete without
reference to swabbing techniques, antibiotic enriched feeds,
injection technique, and prognosis. That to save these fish,
my core recommendations would be to get the fish into a
heated environment, provide impeccable water quality, swab
the wounds with Iodine or Mercurachrome, Feed Romet feed,
Inject Enrofloxacin and or Chloramphenicol, and hope that
the next spring that the fish does not bloat due to
retention of latent bacteria in the kidney after clinical
cure.
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Sepsis
Sepsis is a condition wherein bacteria, mostly of the
gram negative classes, gain entry to the fishes' bodies via
wounds or the gut. In either event, the bacteria can cause
the failure of the internal organs, and can result in
symptoms which you might recognize: Clamped fish, bulging
eyes, red bellies, reddened, eroding fins, etc. The problem
with these types of cases is that the bacteria are inside
the fishes' body and thus are quite safe from most water
borne antibiotics. Therefore, feeding antibiotics, or
injecting antibiotics are better choices than adding
antibiotics to the water.
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Costia
Before Costia kicks everyone's rear-ends, please read the
following. There are a lot of Japanese style shows going on,
and the aftermath of several over the last twenty four
months has read the same: Fish are mixed, returned home,
novices do not take precautions, Costia kicks their butt so
bad it looks like a "virus" until it's accurately diagnosed
and cleared.
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The Significance of
Costia
Life was simple for a fish vet in the early nineties.
Japanese fish were too expensive for the average hobbyist
and their beautiful wiles had not been fully discovered. The
usual pond-call involved a poor filtration system, high
ammonia levels, a sagging pH and a case of "garden variety"
Trichodina on some hardy domestic fish.
One would simply recommend a treatment of salt coupled with
an upgrade to the filtration type and flow. A week later,
all the fish are recovered. Now, partly because
exposure is more widespread and Japanese fish are so much
more prevalent, the fish veterinarian sees much more
challenging things.
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Salt Resistance
Salt resistance has arisen in the following parasites:
Flukes - 20% of
cases are completely resistant to salt treatments at any
level. Most cases are cleared at zero-point-nine-percent
but less than thirty percent still clear off at the old
zero-point-three-percent standby level.
Trichodina - 20%
of Trichodina cases do not clear at even
zero-point-six-percent. There are rare cases where
Trichodina does not clear even at
zero-point-nine-percent which is also stressful to the
fish. Formalin or potassium permanganate are
recommended. Chilodonella and Ich have never been
recorded as being salt resistant in the least bit.
Costia has shown some
resistance and it is part of the reason for this
article. Some outbreaks of Costia have been known to be
salt resistant for at least two years. I saw my first
case of salt resistant Costia in late 1996.
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