My pond has a 9watt UV Filter that worked beautifully! But we had a couple koi come down with some fungus problems so we shut the pump down and used the Pimafix antifungal treatment for 7 days (as listed) After treatment we turned our UV light back on.. It has yet to clear up again (4weeks later) and worse one of our koi has a small white mark again on top part of lip.
Our pond also has a good leak going - which makes it hard to keep the water level over 2' so we know the leak is somewhere in the side at that level.
My question: Should I just go ahead and place the fish (mainly shubunken approx.6-10") in a holding tank and fix the pond now...
and if so should I treat all the fish at that time?
How long do I let the new water with a new liner set before introducing the fish back in?
Any other helpful tips would be appreciated!
Thanks much, Dev
Pond not clearing, another koi has white mark above lip...
I would say go ahead and fix it. There is a product called AquaSafe made by Tetra that will make the water safe for fish immediately as far as removing chlorine and other chemicals in the water. I would however wait a day or two after that for the water to come to a temperature that the fish are more accustomed to before placing them back in since their immune systems are struggling right now. I do not know what zone you are in, but here in Z5 we are just getting into hot weather which would place even more stress on your fish if you waited to fix the pond and move them around.
Hi, yes your koi/goldfish have a fungus. Put them in that tank and treat them pronto! Your filters UV light might be burned out???? and The leak is not helping. Can you take a pic pf the white spot? it might be ick.
Regards,
Rick
I think 2 feet of water is enough, I would get my fish better first before changing the linner..I would treat ALL the fish..and make sure my water had a good salt level also..Changing your water and linner and stuff throws all the good bacteria off, stress alone can kill fish... I just wouldn't want to change more than I had to at first...
When you fix the liner, with the exception of the area you need to repair of course, keep the exposed sides wet. This saves the biofilm of good bacteria in the pond. When you said you shut down the pump was it the pump or just the UV light? Only activated carbon filtration will remove medications from the water. Regular bio filtration without UV light won't remove or diminish the effectiveness of medication.
Most UV bulbs will be producing light in the effective range for 12 months of use. During that time make sure the quartz glass covering the light is squeaky clean. Scale or mineral deposits on the covering will diminish UV light capability. Replace UV lights after 12 months of use or if they burn out. Burn out is rare. About the only thing I know that will bother a UV light is fluctuating voltage. I lost one after a day of bad thunderstorms and lightning that made the power repeatedly dim and come back up. Costly!
Melafix is a favorite of many for clearing fish fungus, but it has never worked for me. Microbelift Anti-Fungal, though a bit pricy for a very large pond is extremely good.
http://www.pondlady.com/shop/index.php?action=item&id=841&prevaction=category&previd=33&prevstart=0 This link is just one of dozens and is offered for reference only, not a recommendation of the site.
Salt is very good at aiding sick or injured pond fish. One note of caution, you didn't mention whether or not you had lotus plants in the pond. Lotus are intolerant of salt. Some just don't thrive, others simply die. Also if you are experiencing fluctuating water levels then the salt concentration will fluctuate. Salt does not evaporate. You can lose salt only through a leak or splash out from the pond from a waterfall.
Don't use salt unless you are working with a fairly stable water level and you test regularly!
This link too, is for reference only:
http://www.yourpondstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=380¤cy=USD
tetleytuna's advice on not subjecting the fish to any sudden water temp changes and using a dechlorinator is right on.
Prompt action in repairing the leak and then identifying and treating the fungal culprit should get you back on track to enjoying the fish soon.
Thank you all for the information.... yes I only turned off the UV lamp during treatment not the filter part.
Second - I do have a salt level of .10%-.12% depending on pond water level, is this good? I've read that too much is bad on plants and goldfish (which I only have a couple, but don't want to kill them) No I do not have a lotus at this time.
Would it be a good idea to drop the water level down lower, so 1st it won't cost an arm and a leg to treat it and second, it would help warm up the water too from the sun.
Thanks much!!
Dev
I'm not sure about dropping the water level. Would it allow for the ammonia level to rise if the fish stocking density is too much for the lower gallonage? And can you adequately measure the pond volume to calculate the right amount of medication? One thing I am certain of is that you need adequate aeration to keep a good oxygen level, especially for treating infected fish. Some medications lower the oxygen level. A salt level of .01% for plants is fine as long as those finickey lotus are not involved.
You could consider a dip if these fish can be easily caught. A dip is quick and extremely effective for exterior fungal, parasitic and bacterial infections. Once and Bingo! Done! Potassium permangonate has a 99.99% kill factor for fungus, parasites and bacteria. Sounds good, but it can also kill your fish if not used with the absolute greatest of care. You can also cheaply treat the entire pond with potassium permangonate, but again caution is the word. Here are a couple of links just for information.
http://www.pondrx.com/products/16133.html
http://www.koifooddirect.co.uk/treatment/parasitic/permangonate.php
I have used it and believe me it works. You can also make a sort of paste of the stuff and apply it just to the infected area with a cotton swab if you are dealing with an ulcer. Not as dangerous that way. I hesitate to recommend it because it WILL KILL your fish if mishandled. I dip all new fish in the stuff before I put them in the pond. But if you have any doubts try the Melafix first, and if that isn't effective step up to the Microbelift Anti-Fungal.
Wow. Great advice! Now there is the treatment expert! :)
Wow yourself there flkoifarm. High praise coming from a pro like you. I learned mine the hard way, the school of almost dead koi before I found something that worked! And I have to be honest and report a couple of fatalities along the way.
Well you got to learn some how. btw how did your koi die? frow what?
Dropsy, both of them. A third koi with dropsy I saved because I went to my vet and got the proper dose of antibiotics and injected it. First time for everything! It wasn't really that hard to do. Getting my vet to give me the antibiotic was more trouble than the actual injections. That was two years ago and luckily I have not had a repeat of the disease. That is also why I now dip all new koi in potassium permangonate. If I can, I quarantine new arrivals, but I havn't always been able to.
As the koi get healthier they also get harder to catch, as you well know, so if I ever get another sick one I will have to quarantine for the treatment period. By the last injection it was a real rodeo. I learn the hard way, but I learn.
BTW, on the paste application of Potassium permangonate to an ulcer, return the fish immediately back to water. I have never had to repeat an application to the same area. It does take 3 days or so for the ulcer to show signs of healing. This trick I learned when I had a 75 gal goldfish tank. Never lost a fish to an ulcer after this.
The best medicine is, of course, maintaining good pond water conditions. Goes a long way to prevent disease in the first place.
Snapple....I agree with your assessments, and of course, losing fish is they way we learn (sadly)
PotPerm is very tricky to work with, but does a great job. I use it as a quick dip for newbies, but will almost always use salt or something else before PotPerm ( I get too nervous and most postings are very clear on using it correctly)
The salt kits are very cheap and worthwhile to have on hand so you know what kind of concentration you are working with.
There is another treatment expert! btw Mary check you mail tuesday!
Hey Snapple, Do you know a place to get quantity PP for a great price by any chance?
snapple45 thank you so much for your information, my fish is back to socializing and eating, I think he's going to make it just fine. Thanks again!!
azreno - This is where I get mine. One container will last three lifetimes. This is the pure unadulterated stuff - not mixed with anything. It comes with NO instructions. To determine useage/dosages there are numerous resources on the net.
http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/2482/cid/1588
Devonee, Really glad to hear the the fish is doing OK now. Nothing more upsetting than watching a fish struggle.
That's where I got my bead filter and UV light. Good company. Fast service!! One UV bulb was broke upon arrival and they sent another one and then dealt with the carrier.
Jeri
Thanks Snapple! I remember years ago seeing good instruction on Koiphen, just never saw a good place to get, always in those tiny bottles for small ponds :( That's a great link!