All the headings on the left
have the same affect DEAD
FISH.
The result of an ice covered pond, even though water was moving
from one pond to another, but 4/5th of both ponds were covered with thick ice -
The system owners were away in the big freeze.
Notice how there is no
loss of colour - a classic symptom when CO
2 has killed the fish.
They died by suffocation (like being in a car with exhaust in through the
window)
HypothermiaIf your water temperature is
around 4
o or below, then ensure that all incoming water is returned
below the surface to prevent spashes.
And, on no account net or move
your fish - leave them well alone - just let nature take it's
course.
Thermal Shock from WaterfallsAt this
time of year, the water from your stream/waterfall artificially chills the
water. Normally in January and February there is sufficient heat in the sun to
prevent the chilling, but not in December. The chilling affects the fish's
internal organs and often they cannot recover from this. This year there have
already been 20 cases in the last two weeks of fish being killed by the thermal
shock from waterfalls. Switch them off until the
spring.
Heavy Rain: When your pond has
taken prolonged heavy rain make your sure you do a water change. I do 6" on my
5000 gal pond. You have got to get the acid out of your pond from the rain or
you may experience a large pH drop, and we all know what happens then.
By the way when did you last check your
pH?Freezing outletsA big problem with
leaving waterfalls running or if the filter outlet is above water, is that they
freeze, so sending moving water to waste, and draining the pond. When I arrived
at the pond on the left, these outlets where completely covered with ice and
water was running behind the pond - it was only good luck I had called on a
spot check on my rounds, knowing my client was away out of the country - a few
more hours and the pond would have been empty.
See also
pH crash under pondsCO2 If your
filter outlets are under the water surface, and you are worried about
CO
2 build up, then use an air-stone. Place it in the middle of your
pond, about 1 foot under the surface and set it to have a spread of bubbles on
the surface of no more than 1 foot.
Become a water
keeper first, and a fish keeper secondWarning: formalin will
kill your filter. No matter what its says on the bottle always run a by-pass
when using this chemical. It will also de-oxygenate your water and when used
with alga treatment become toxic to fish.
Salt and
FormalinThere has been a lot written and said about this combo. Most of
it is complete rubbish.
No1: salt and formalin is not toxic - not at 3% -
as most marine treatments are formalin and marine fish are kept at 10 times the
salt leval of 3%. Formalin will deoxygenate water and so will salt to some
degree. Salt is the best treatment ever found for koi apart from supaverm,
(which works even better with salt).
No2: I am not a formalin fan, apart
from when it's used with malacite for white spot, as nothing else works> No
matter what remedies manufactures would have you believe, what's on the shelves
now with the change in the law is utter junk - just colored water - about as
much use for fish disease as I have hope of finding oil.
I would not
recommend formalin as a treatment on its own, unless you are backed into a
corner with salt resistant Japanese costia (buying jap fish is your own fault
unless they have been over here for a least a year). The problem with salt
resistant costia is that it's a waste of time treating the fish and not the
pond. When you put the fish back they will just get re-infected. Costia has got
its act together and unless your on the boil, it will beat you every time - one
costia for one day = 100,000 or more. If you are told that fish have been
tested for costia - now that is a load of rubbish. The only test is quarantine
- not the dealers but at your home, and remember, it likes cool water so taking
a fish straight from dealers heated water to your heated pond with no
quarantine is like bonfire night in a garage.
See our warning on
filter containers on the filters pageNow is the time to feed
Vitamin C with your food to boost your fish's immune system ready for the cool
season.
This koi pond
had infection after infection until the water fall was cobbled to stop birds
bathing and allow drinking only.
Use the links on the left to get
more information about fish diseases, and if you're a first time visitor, we
recommend you read our
Frequently Asked
Questions first, as these can often solve common queries.
Download
our
Checklist a health
history questionnaire (PDF file).
DeckingSee our
decking page (under
ponds).
FrogsKeep frogs out of your koi pond or problems will
arise no matter how well maintained your system may be.
Frogs are said
to carry many of your internal parasite problems, see
hexamita. Frogs DO carry this parasite, so do BIRDS.
Never let birds bath in your waterfalls. Frogs will have been in goldfish and
wildlife ponds, dyke lakes or the river next door and can bring infection
straight into your pond. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand
that one. If you want frogs in your garden, which I think is not a bad thing,
then have a raised system or a wildlife pond at the other end of garden. Many
of our native fish carry infections which do them no harm, but in a koi pond in
confined conditions with close fish contact, apart from being against the law -
removing fish from native waters - the transfer of infection to koi from native
fish is far heavier and faster than a parasite bloom in a pure koi pond. Frog
borne disease is a time bomb.
Heron and Mink
- A hungry heron with goldfish. These birds damage koi which are to
large too hold. Many nice fish succumb to secondary infection from heron
wounds.
- In autumn and spring when heavy rain has coloured the lakes and
rivers a clear koi pond is irresistible never underestimate them.
- Most heron attacks are fatal
as you can see from the picture - they are stab wounds. For treatment you are
best contacting me direct with email pictures so I can assess the damage, and
where wounds are, that's the important bit. While you are waiting, the fish
needs to be in salt at 0.3%=3lb per 100 gallon in container with an air stone
and pond water, and out of the sun and passing traffic (e.g. nosey
bystanders).
- Mink are also becoming a problem in some places