|
If
your koi is sick with this
Disease,
which is due to this
Cause, |
...then
your koi might exhibit these
Symptoms...
and need the following
Remedies... |
|
Anchor Worm Disease
(parasitic)
-
caused by Lernaea, a parasitic thread-like worm up to
1/2 inch long |
-
presence of Lernaea or anchor worms on the skin
-
egg sacs may be visible at the end of the worms
-
adult anchorworms are difficult to kill but may be removed by
tweezers
-
larvae anchorworms may be killed by Masoten |
|
Cachexia
-
caused by lack of food or anorectic behavior; may also be
caused by parasites |
-
excessively thin body, to the point of looking 'triangular'
-
pronounced backbone and reduced epaxial musculature
-
increase food supply and accessibility |
|
Carp Pox
(viral)
-
caused by Cyprinid Herpes Virus 1 |
-
presence of solid, waxy lumps on the koi
-
generally harmless but certainly unpleasant to look at |
|
Cloudy Eye
(bacterial) |
-
milkiness over eyes
-
loss of appetite and energy |
|
Chilodonella
(parasitic)
-
caused by Chilodonella, a flat, heart-shaped parasite
with a notched end and bands of cilia on its bottom surface,
measuring about 30-80 microns in length and 20-60 mcirons in
width, making them faintly visible on a micrograph;
Chilodonella has a wide range of temperature tolerance |
-
heavy and labored breathing
-
rubbing of body against rocks and pond surfaces
-
skin
cloudiness due to excess mucus
-
lethargy and, at an
advanced stage, isolation of itself at the pond surface or
near a water return
-
presence of slow-gliding, circling parasites in skin scrapes
or gill biopsies
-
chilodonella, although a major threat to fish health, is easy
to kill with the appropriate anti-parasite treatment, or any
of the following: malachite green and formalin, potassium
permanganate, copper or salt baths |
|
Columnaris Disease
(bacterial) |
-
see Cotton Wool Disease |
|
Costia
(parasitic)
-
caused by Ichthyobodo, a fast and constantly moving,
crescent-shaped parasite that exhibits a characteristic
flickering motion, measuring about 10-20 microns in length,
making them very difficult to observe even at 400X
magnification; Ichthyobodo is generally not harmful in
small numbers, but can be threatening if their population is
left unchecked |
-
rubbing of body against rocks and pond surfaces
-
skin
cloudiness due to excess mucus
-
focal redness
-
long spells of lethargy at
the pond bottom with clamped fins
-
at an advanced stage, isolation
of itself at the pond surface or near a water return
-
presence of clusters of parasites in pyriform shape on the
gills and skin
-
mild infestations may be treated with salt baths or malachite
and formalin
-
severe infestations may be treated with Chloramine-T and
long-term salt theraphy |
|
Cotton Wool Disease
(bacterial)
-
caused by Flexibacter columnaris bacterial infection |
-
white spots around the mouth and head areas that spread to the
body and fins
-
white cottony growths that eat away the mouth
-
disintegration of fins starting at the edges
-
can lead to lesions, ulcers, and disintegration of the gills
-
contagious to other koi
-
treat with copper sulfate or the appropriate antibiotic |
|
Cotton Mouth Disease
(bacterial) |
-
see Cotton Wool Disease |
|
Dropsy or
Pine-cone Disease (bacterial)
-
can be caused by a congenital kidney problem or Aeromonas
bacterial infection |
-
swollen abdomen
-
raised scales that exhibit a pinecone appearance
-
usually leads to death |
|
Finrot/Tailrot
(bacterial)
-
caused by Aeromonas, or Pseudomonas bacterial infection |
-
begins with light, foggy patches on the skin
-
progresses to bloody, rotten tails or fins |
|
Fish Lice
(parasitic)
-
caused by fish lice, Argulus, a light green/brown,
translucent, shield-shaped crustacean up to 1/2 inch in
diameter |
-
presence of fish lice (argulus) on the skin that look like
dark spots at first glance; argulus is one of
the very few fish parasites visible to the naked eye
-
rubbing of body against rocks and pond surfaces
-
can be fatal if gills are infected
-
fish lice can be treated with Masoten or Dimilin |
|
Flexibacter Disease
(bacterial) |
-
see Cotton Wool Disease |
|
Flukes
(parasitic) |
-
see Gill Flukes and Skin Flukes |
|
Fungus
(fungal)
-
caused by Saprolegnia, a filamentous fungi that feeds
by secreting enzymes that break down cells and tissues to
absorb nutrients |
-
wooly and cotton-like attachments on the body and fins which
look green if algae-ridden
-
tissue damage follows if left untreated
-
infests injured or stressed koi
-
can be treated with Malachite green |
|
Gill Flukes
(parasitic)
-
caused by gill flukes, Dactylogyrus, small trematodes
or worm-like parasites up to 2 mm in length |
-
presence of gill flukes on the gills and body
-
labored breathing
-
swimming in jerky motions
-
gill hyperplasia and increased mucus
-
long periods of rest at the bottom of the pond with clamped
fins
-
reddening of some focal areas
-
can create entry points for secondary bacterial infections,
which in turn can lead to gill diseases and ulcers
-
gill flukes are more difficult to treat than skin flukes
-
regular salt baths, as well as special treatments with
malachite green and formalin may produce results; masoten may
be required for severe cases |
|
Gill Rot
(fungal)
-
caused by low oxygen content and fungi of genus
Branchiomyces
|
-
breathing difficulty or gasping
at the water surface
-
lethargy
-
discolored and eroded gill
filaments
-
conduct an immediate water change and increase aeration
-
the gill rot may be treated with formalin |
|
Hole-in-the-Side Disease
(parasitic) |
-
see Ulcers |
|
Hypoxia
-
caused by low oxygen content |
-
lethargy
-
gasping at the water surface
-
increase the pond aeration
|
|
Ich or
White Spot (parasitic)
-
caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis |
-
presence of small white spots all over the body and fins
-
rubbing of body against rocks and pond surfaces
-
often triggered by sudden cooling of the pond water
-
easily treated with commercial ich medications |
|
Koi Herpes Virus (KHV) Disease
(viral)
-
caused by the KHV usually at low temperatures (70+ deg F) |
-
patches of dead gill tissue similar to those caused by
columnaris disease
-
may have sunken eyes or rough skin |
|
Leeches (parasitic) |
-
presence of brown and gray worms up to an inch long on the
body |
|
Mouth Fungus Disease
(bacterial) |
-
see Cotton Wool Disease |
|
Skin Flukes
(parasitic)
-
caused by skin flukes, Gyrodactylus, small trematodes
or worm-like parasites up to 2 mm in length |
-
whitish or cloudy skin due to excess mucus production
-
rubbing of skin against rocks and pond surfaces
-
long periods of rest at the bottom of the pond with clamped
fins
-
reddening of some focal areas
-
can create entry points for secondary bacterial infections,
which in turn can lead to ulcers
-
flukes are difficult to treat
-
regular salt baths, as well as special treatments with
malachite green and formalin may produce results; masoten may
be required for severe cases |
|
Spring Viremia of Carp (SVC)
(viral)
-
caused by the SVC virus usually at low temperatures (40-65 deg
F) |
-
lethargy and uncoordinated movement
-
bulging eyes, skin hemorrhages
-
bloated appearance due to fluids in the abdomen
-
bloody mucus trailing from vent and within the intestine
-
may also exhibit tiny hemorrhages of the muscle, swim bladder,
and gut cavity lining
-
SVC infections are of international concern so deaths from
this disease must be reported accordingly |
|
Sunken Back Disease
-
caused by ingestion of oxidized fats in expired feeds |
-
back of the fish looks very thin and emaciated
-
falling off of flesh on both sides of the dorsal area |
|
Tailrot/Finrot
(bacterial)
-
caused by Aeromonas and Pseudomonas bacterial infection |
-
begins with light, foggy patches on the skin
-
progresses to bloody, rotten tails or fins |
|
Trichodina
(parasitic)
-
caused by Trichodina, a protozoan parasite with a ring of
cilia around the edge of the bowl-shaped body; it glides
around the fish like a flying saucer; up to 50 micrometers in
diameter, it has a central sucking disc with hook-like
dentricles |
-
extreme irritation of the fish leading to rubbing of body
against rocks and pond surfaces
-
frayed fins; milky or opaque fins and body
-
although not immediately deadly, it can cause extreme tissue
damage if left unchecked
-
in advanced stages, fish may show lethargy and preference for
highly-oxygenated areas of the pond (near pumps, etc.)
-
can lead to suffocation of the fish if gills are severely
infested
- some experts had success treating trichodina with potassium
permanganate
-
others recommend the Super Ick Cure
-
addition of salt to the water may alleviate gill problems
while the 'real' treatments are still on the way |
|
Ulcers
(bacterial)
-
caused by Aeromonas bacteria infection |
-
open sores on the body
-
can lead to death
-
ulcers may be treated with potassium permanganate |
