Just let me know and I will try to help or will let you know somebody who does
Regards,
Rick
Questioins for flkoifarm
Thanks Rick, we all have questions from time to time. Newbies especially have questions when they are just starting out & I don't think we are ever experts no matter how long we play in our ponds.
PeggyP
Rick I thought I would post this question here. I've been treating the black koi for several days now and there is a big improvement in the damage to her fin. I can see that it has grown back. But the white stuff is not gone and in fact there is a spot on her tail now. I believe it may be a fungus secondary to the fin rot. Can I treat with an antifungal medication at the same time as I treat the fin rot?
That stuff is called ick. You have to buy a different medication to treat that stuff..... Tell me your budget and I have a few ideas... Thanks,
Rick
I'm pretty sure that it's fungus that is secondary to the finrot as I've seen Ick several times and this looks very different and is localized except for the spot on the fin. You can see the stuff I'm talking about Also, the koi has had these large white patches next to the fin that was injured for several months now and no one else in the pond has it. I had to go to the store for something else today so I picked up an antifungal that is the same brand as the erythromycin I've been using. I'm finished treating with the antibiotic already and the water tested fine, so I started this treatment. If this doesn't work, I'll go back to the 'drawing board'. You can see the white spots in the photo below, same as the one on the other thread. I think the stress of being in the treatment tank has been hard on the fish. The ragged edge on the fin that you can see in the photo is completely healed now, but it's having trouble throwing off the fungus.
Ich (whitespot) – Ich is one of the most common and widespread of all the fish diseases. It is characterized by tiny white spots the size of coarse sand. Its microscopic stage is round with a horseshoe shaped nucleus. Symptoms may appear before you see the white spots. They include flashing (rubbing their sides against the pond), lethargy, and loss of appetite. The treatment of choice for ich is salt for 10-21 days, depending on the water temperature. Ich takes longer to clear in colder water.
#1) SALT DIP - Add non-iodized salt to water at 10 tablespoons per gallon or 8 pounds per 32 gallons. Dip fish in this solution for 3 to 5 minutes or until it starts to roll over. Repeat 2 more times at 12-hour intervals.
#2) SALT BATH - We maintain salt in our holding facilities at 0.3%. This is obtained by adding 3 teaspoons per gallon or 25 pounds of non-iodized salt per 1,000 gallons over a 48 hour period. Some Costia strains can require up to .6%. An accurate digital salt meter can be purchased for under $80 at www koistuff.com.
Use treatment #2
#3) POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE- Potassium permanganate is effective against all of the microscopic parasites listed above except ich. If you suspect that your fish may have parasites, but you do not have access to a microscope to confirm your suspicions, potassium should be your first choice for treatment. It is somewhat more risky than salt, but only when you fail to measure your gallonage and dosages accurately. Potassium will turn the water purple or pink when first added to the tank or pond. It will eventually turn brown, according to the amount of dissolved organics in the water. A 25% to 50% water change is recommended before beginning the treatment. Bypass the filter, ensure adequate aeration, and add potassium to the water at 6 grams (1 level teaspoon) per 800 gallons, In large systems, dissolve the crystals in warm water and distribute evenly around the pond or tank. Note the color of the water by submerging a white saucer 2-3 inches below the surface. If the color changes from purple/pink to brown/amber in less than 1 hour, redose at 1 teaspoon per 800 gallons. If the initial color change comes after 1 hour has elapsed, retreat at 1/2 teaspoon per 800 gallons. Monitor the color of the water for the next 10 hours. Whenever the color is brown, add more potassium at 1/2 teaspoon per 800 gallons. The key for effective treatment with potassium is to maintain the pink color in the water for 10 hours. After 10 hours, do another 50% water change or add dechlorinators to neutralize and de-color the potassium. Repeat the treatment in 3-4 days to ensure eradication of the parasites. The treatment regimen here is excerpted from Dr. Eric Johnson's excellent book "Koi Health and Disease". It contains more detailed information concerning the use of potassium and other fisheries chemicals used to treat goldfish and koi.
#4) DIMILIN (brand name: Anchors Away by Jungle Labs or Express IDI (www.pondrx.com) For the treatment of anchor worms and fish lice. These parasites will not clear immediately. According to the water temperature, they will be eradicated anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
#5 PRAZIQUANTEL (brand name Prazi pond) The treatment of choice for flukes on goldfish. (www.pondrx.com)
#6 SUPAVERM The treatment of choice for flukes on koi. WARNING: DO NOT USE SUPAVERM ON GOLDFISH> IT WILL KILL THEM!!! (www.pondrx.com)
WARNINGS; THE MEDICATIONS LISTED HERE ARE SAFE WHEN HANDLED PROPERLY. USE A DUST MASK, RUBBER GLOVES, AND SAFETY GLASSES WHEN HANDLING THESE CHEMICALS.
Trust me its ick
Glad I trusted you, Rick. After over a week of treatment the black koi has almost no white spots left anywhere. There is only 1 tiny little whitish place on her dorsal fin. I assume that I need to wait until she is absolutely free of any white stuff at all to put her back into the pond? Poor thing, she has been in the treatment tank for 2 weeks.
Another update: though she looked good earlier, a check this evening showed that the fin rot is back!! What gives with that? She was totally cleared of it before. I used erythromycin according to the package directions and it cleared up quickly. Two days after the treatment was complete, it was back. I had another dose left so I put that in the water and it cleared up again. Now it's back again. Maybe I need something stronger?
I've been doing 25% water changes every 3 days and testing the water for ammonia. So far there hasn't been any buildup, but I'm thinking the fish is continually stressed by being in the treatment tank. Any ideas?
Great treatment/s info, Rick, I'm printing it for future use. Thanks so much!!!
Lana
Rick, if you get new fish and want to give them preventative treatments along with the salt what and how many treatments could you do at once safely? I'm talking about not knowing of a specific problem but wanting to cover as many as you can before adding them to your pond in a couple weeks. My pond is 3000 gallons and once a fish goes in there it's near impossible to catch and treating that size is a nightmare not to mention very expensive. I have a 50 gal rubber/plastic livestock tank that can be used for this.
Thanks,
Lana