Treatment Suggestion
Page
for Koi & Goldfish Health
Problems
The Pond Doc
specializes in Koi and Goldfish Health. He's recognized internationally
for his expertise. KoiCarp Magazine of the U.K. chose our website as one
of the top 10 websites for koi health!
Please excuse my
mess! I am right now in the process of re-vamping this page and some of it
may not make a lot of sense while it's under construction.
Bacterial Gill Disease (BGD) Since BGD is initiated by poor water
quality, parasites and/or overcrowded conditions you must first correct the
problem that's causing it. #1 - Test the water for pH, Ammonia and
Nitrites. A master
test kit is available that will cover all these very necessary tests.
If you find any readings of ammonia or nitrites, fix the problem! If you
pH is not between 7.0 and 8.0 and/or is not stable, correct it and stabilize it
using pH Stabilizer. #2 -
If the water tests are fine then look for signs of parasites. If parasites
are suspected then it's most likely Flukes and, to be on the safe side, I
would treat the pond for Flukes using
Anti-Fluke or Fluke Tabs and
Perform a Salt
Treatment at the same time. #3 - Treat the disease itself with
Chloramine T. NEVER USE MORE THAN ONE KIND OF TREATMENT AT THE SAME TIME -
THIS WILL RESULT IN FISH DEATH. The only exception would be the salt.
Bacterial Infections
When treating infections with antibiotics, whether
they are ulcers or internal infections, the water temperature should be over 64
degrees or your antibiotic treatments will not work. Internal infections
are best treated by feeding your fish a diet of triple
antibiotic food for 2 weeks then go back to their normal diet. You can
also inject the fish with antibiotics or have a vet do it. Performing a
salt treatment
along with the other is also an excellent idea! If the infection is
external in the form of an ulcer, mouth rot or fin rot,
follow the treatment instructions for the specific problem.
Toxic Water If you suspect that anything toxic has
been added to your water immediately do a major (80%) water change and don't
forget to de-chlorinate the new water added. Hold some of the affected
water aside for testing or test your water right away for ammonia, nitrite and
pH. Any reading at all of ammonia or nitrites is not to be taken lightly.
Beef up your biological filtration because the problem will return within a day
or two and keep returning until the nitrifying cycle is in place. Find
more information about ammonia, nitrites and pH by reading this article:
"Water
Parameters - Why those tests are important".
Viral Infections / Virus Viruses are the deadliest and scariest of
all fish afflictions because they kill quick and complete and often before you
even suspect a problem. A new fish can be a carrier and clean out your
entire population of fish. The only cure is prevention. Quarantine
all new fish in a heated environment for at least 2 weeks before introducing
them into your pond. Know the reputation of your fish dealer.
Aeration Problems Fish breathe dissolved oxygen in the
water through their gills. If water contains inadequate amounts of
dissolved oxygen the fish simply smother. Many water treatments such as
potassium permanganate and AlgaeFix use oxygen when they work.
"Oxygenating plants" give off oxygen during the day but then take it all back at
night and on overcast days. Add aeration whenever treating your pond.
Add long term aeration (such as air pump, waterfalls, fountains) for ponds that
are very still.
Anchor Worm
This one's easy. Treat the whole pond with
Anchors Away. It is formulated
especially for anchor worm.
Ulcer Disease Since ulcer disease is often a secondary infection to
parasitic infestation you must first determine the cause of the disease and get
rid of what caused it before you can get rid of the disease. If you added
any new fish within the past 30 days or so, it's almost certain that you have
parasites causing them and it would be advisable to treat the whole pond for
parasites. We have a Parasite
Pak that's perfect for cleaning up the pond of any parasites that may be
lurking.
If ulcers appear on female fish after spawning or
as a result of a boo-boo, it's a safe bet that parasites are not the culprit so
I wouldn't waste the time and effort to treat for parasites. Use your
common sense and knowledge of your particular pond and fish to rule out
parasitic infestation as the cause of your ulcers.
Now, let's treat the ulcers! It's best to
isolate all infected fish in a hospital tank so that you can get to them without
stressing them each time you need to treat them. Keep in mind that you
will need to closely monitor the water quality of your holding tank. Poor
water quality can kill so regular water changes may be in order.
There are several treatment methods from which
you can choose. I'll start with what we do to treat our own fish for
ulcers. #1 - If the koi or goldfish is in pretty good physical condition
you can dip them once a day in Tricide-Neo
for several days. It comes in 2 sizes - 1 gallon and 5 gallon.
Tricide-Neo, however, is a harsh treatment and can be too rough on a fish
who is barely holding on or having gill problems. For those more delicate
fish it's best to use Lil' Dabado
Antibiotic Scrub. #2 - Feed Triple
Antibiotic Food to the infected fish for no less than 2 weeks and no more
than 3 while they are in the hospital tank and after they have been returned to
the pond. It's not a bad idea to feed all the fish this food to prevent
outbreaks of ulcers during this time. The antibiotic food helps prevent
the bacterial infection from going internal to the fish's organs. Lil'
Dabado comes also in a Double
Whammy Pack that includes a lb. of the Triple Antibiotic Food. #3 -
For added insurance you may want to reduce the amount of anaerobic bacteria
present in the pond. Use Anti-Bacteria and treat the whole pond. DO
NOT COMBINE Anti-Bacteria with any other treatments. ALSO - It will kill
the good nitrifying bacteria in your biological filter as well as the bad so BY
PASS your filtration while you are treating the pond with this or any other
bacteria-killing agents.
Alternative Treatment Methods: You can
inject your fish with antibiotics or have a vet do it. Injections are
definitely more stressful than other methods. You could use some of the
other marketed "cures" for ulcers like Melafix
but we find that these work as tonics more than cures and do not do the same
great job as what we use. If fungus has set in on the ulcers you may want
to treat with Anti-Fungus - but DO NOT
combine the treatment with another one at the same time.
Dropsy (aka Pinecone Disease)
Internal Bacterial Infection
In advanced stages, after the body has swelled, eyes have bulged and/or scales are
sticking out (like a pinecone) this disease is usually always fatal. It is an
internal infection that has invaded one or more of the fish's organs. Injections and water
treatments may be worth a try, however, don't expect recovery. If the fish
is breaking out with massive ulcers the most humane treatment is to euphonize
the fish. Dropsy is not contagious so if the fish is left in his home pond
there should be no problems. Find more
information on bacterial disease in our article, "Battle
of the Bacteria".
If you suspect dropsy but it's not in the
advanced stages, you may be able to treat and prevent the dropsy from worsening.
Feed triple antibiotic food and treat with a medicated water treatment.
Doc's Prescription Triple Antibiotic
Food
FuBa Fix
Egg
Impaction
Internal Condition
If a female loaded with eggs does not spawn, her eggs are often
absorbed back into her body. If they are not absorbed and she is unable to
expel them she can become egg impacted. The eggs literally rot inside her.
Place her with males in a heated environment and create areas where they can
spawn. If that doesn't work professional veterinarian help is advised.
This condition will weaken the female and eventually she will die.
Swelling of the body above the "waist line" is a sign of dropsy, not egg
impaction.
Fish Lice
(Argulus) Treat for Parasites A pesty little parasite that salt won't kill. Treat as you would treat
Flukes (see immediately below). Find
more information on Argulus in our article, "Flash
Dance - A Closer Look at Parasites".
Flukes
Treat for Parasites If your fish are flashing heavily and salt has not stopped it then your fish may
be infested with flukes. They attack the tender tissue of the gills and, by causing
tiny holes in the fish where opportunistic bacteria can enter the fish's body, can be a
major cause of bacterial infection. Find more information on
Flukes in our article, "Flash
Dance - A Closer Look at Parasites".
Fluke Tabs
Anti-Fluke / Life Bearer
Potassium Permanganate
Fungus Treat for Bacteria
Fungus is secondary to a bacterial infection and feeds off of dead tissue.
The bacterial infection should be treated along with the fungus. Find more
information on fungus and bacterial disease in our article, "Battle
of the Bacterias".
Pond Fungus Eliminator
Anti-Fungus
!!! The Doc's Choice !!!
Potassium Permanganate
Ich
Treat for Parasites
One of the most common parasites. Ich looks like salt on the fins or small white
dots on the skin of the fish in advanced cases. A very deadly parasite. We've found that it
seems to be more deadly in goldfish than in koi. Find more
information on Ich in our article, "Flash
Dance - A Closer Look at Parasites".
Nitrite Poisoning
Water Quality When ammonia is converted by nitrifying bacteria into
nitrites it is still deadly to the fish. It stays in the blood system of
the fish and turns the blood brown. An immediate 80% water change is in
order but a salt treatment after the water change will help insure the fish are
not effected by the poison in their system. This is a sign that the
biological filtration is lacking Nitrobacter Bacteria, the healthy and necessary
nitrifying bacteria responsible for the conversion of nitrites to harmless
nitrates. Find more information about the nitrifying cycle in our article,
"Mother Nature's Balancing Act - The Nitrifying Cycle".
Immediate First Aid 80% Water Change
Salt Treatment
Promote Growth of Nitrifying Bacteria
pH Crash
Water Quality pH is at its highest (most alkaline) in the afternoon
and at its lowest (most acidic) in the morning. pH fluctuates some during
the day but unstable pH (fluctuates more than half a point in 24 hours) can be a
recipe for disaster. A pH Crash is when the pH suddenly drops down past
6.5 or 6.0. It's like a fish being dropped into a vat of acid the fish
cannot adapt to the change or live in water so acidic for long. The best
thing to do is to make an immediate water change then stabilize the pond water
with a pH stabilizer to prevent it from happening again. The pH of water
can also go the other way and be too alkaline. A pH of over 7.8 is to be
of concern. The presence of cement in the pond will cause the pH to rise
well over healthy readings. Find more information on the effects of pH by
reading the following article, "Getting
the Swing Out of pH".
Immediate First Aid 80% Water Change
pH Stabilizer
Septicemia
Treat for Internal Bacteria Infection Septicemia is an internal infection
that is like an ulcer on the inside. It spreads throughout the body and,
unlike Dropsy, does not confine itself to a particular organ. Spoiled
foods inside the intestines of the fish can cause this disease. The fish's
body is regulated by water temperatures. It is not able to digest foods
when water temperatures are too cold and food left in the intestines will spoil.
To prevent it from happening we do not feed our fish at all when the temperature
of the water is less than 55 degrees. We will feed wheat-germ-based foods
sparingly in water temperatures less than 64 degrees.
Antibiotic
Injections
Feed
Antibiotic Food
Anti-Bacteria
Swim
Bladder Problems
Internal Condition Fancy goldfish have rounded bodies that are more apt to
incur swim bladder problems. Feed fancy goldfish sinking pellets to
prevent them from sucking air when they eat. Also placing fish that flip
over in cold water into a warmed environment has been an effective treatment.
Once the fish spends most his time upside down the prognosis is dim for
survival. Seek professional veterinarian treatment.
Anchor Worm
Chilodonella
Costia
Fish Lice
(Argulus)
Flukes
Ich
Trichodina