zoul
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Jul 29, 2006, 9:09 PM
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Fish health the basics part 1.
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Fish health the basics part 1.
In this most basic of threads I will be discussing. Prevention, buying fish, quarantine and basic medical kits.
Prevention is always better than a cure. When we take up koi keeping what we should really be taking up is water management. Having a pond and filter system is like managing a small sewage plant, keeping the water at optimum levels takes work. Personally I keep a log of pond conditions and test water once a week.
Date
Time
PH Acidity
KH Alkalinity
GH General Hardness
NH3 Ammonia
NO2-N Nitrite
NO3-N
Nitrate
Action
Most deaths that occur in ponds are due to inadequate water quality. So it’s important to test it regularly and be prepared for the worst. In hot countries it might be worth having dissolved oxygen test as well. And people who use salt could also add that.
Remember high water quality and low stock levels. And many things can be prevented if you keep an eye on it.
Buying fish.
When buying koi it’s important not to rush into anything. If you plan to go to a Koi dealer or a garden centre make it a day out plan to take several hours, take a packed lunch with you if needs be.
Most dealers have a reputation to keep so shouldn’t mind fussy customers. Take your time to inspect the facilities, ask the dealer questions about how long the fish have been in the country. Ask about the quarantine the fish have been through who the breeder was, and anything else that comes to mind.
Inspect the vats where the fish are kept. Check the filtration. If they have many vats connected to the same filter, you need to inspect all the vats for dead fish or obvious signs of ill health. If some of the vats have fish other than koi or koi from known countries that have a known problem, such as KHV then give them a wide berth. Also ask if the vats are all koi, which breeders they are from.
Only purchase good healthy koi, never be tempted to buy fish that are obviously ill, no matter how sorry you feel for it. When you find a fish you like watch it swim for a while. Pay attention to its movement the way it holds itself in the water its body shape. Is the head to big /small for the body? Are the fins splayed out or clamped to the body? Is the fish to fat or thin for it’s length?
If you would like a closer inspection of the koi ask for it to be bowled for viewing. Have a closer inspection of your chosen koi. Pay close attention to the eyes gill movements fins look for missing scales or split fins. If you’re still happy ask for the fish to be bagged so you can inspect the underside of your chosen fish. Pay close attention to the mouth barbells the gills from the underside the muscles of the pictorial fins and pelvic fins the ventral fin and the vent.
If the fish has a split fin this will heal, as will the odd missing scale. But ask the dealer if he will keep your fish until it has healed. If they refuse then move on. Or at least haggle over the price. If you have travelled a long distance make sure the koi has been bagged properly with oxygen added, and placed into a suitable box for transport.
Quarantine.
Once you have brought your fish and parted with your hard earned cash, it’s time to put the fish in quarantine. All new arrivals should be quarantined for a minimum of 4 weeks but longer if possible. 7 weeks should be the norm 8 would be ideal. In this time gradually raise the temperature to test for KHV, then let the water return to ambient temperature. Ideally the water in the quarantine pond should mirror that of the main pond as the stress of moving to the main pond would nullify the quarantine if the water quality is very different. If possible the amount of water in the quarantine tank should be as large as possible, ideally 1000 gallons (but mine is only 350 gallons, but I usually only buy small fish). With adequate filtration and a few permanent residence like gold fish. Any illness that occurs in the quarantine pond can be treated in situ.
Medical kits or koi first aid box.
Everyone should have one of these, just in case the unspeakable happens. Of course it’s down to personal preference so I will just give you a rundown of what I think is the basic kit.
Sedating agent such as MS222. Malachite green, Formalin, Potassium Permanganate, Salt for baths (not table salt). Acriflavine. Propolis or other wound sealer orabase is also good and cheaper. Cotton wool buds, 2 pairs of scissors sharp and one with small head, a scalpel, a net and an inspection bowl.
These should stand you in good stead for most things.
As always the best equipment we have as koi keepers is right between our ears.
(This post was edited by zoul on Jul 29, 2006, 9:10 PM)
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