Posts (page 167)
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One of the aspects of fish health that never ceases to amaze us is the resilience of fish and their strange ability to seemingly come back from the dead. Even fish that have jumped out of the pond and are beginning to stiffen have a chance for survival! I know of several incidents when a fish jumped out of his pond sometime during the night and appeared dead the next morning. Amazingly a single shot of steroids brought him back!
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We have since late winter been experiencing water temperatures fluctuating between 50º F and 55º F. If it’s cold we want the water temperature to stay below 45º F. If it’s warm we want the water temperature to stay above 65º F. This dangerous zone in-between desirable water temperatures is playing havoc on the health of our fish.
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We know in our hearts when it is time to say goodbye to an ailing animal — when the quality of life is not quality at all. Many people feel the same emotions when losing a pet koi or goldfish as they feel when they lose a furry pet such as a cat or dog — to a more or lesser degree. When a koi or goldfish gets to the point when he needs to be euthanized it most often is up to the pet’s owner to do so. We receive many calls throughout the year asking the least painful way they can put their fish to sleep. Although we don’t know for sure what a fish feels we do know what we feel and most of us want to use the least painless route.
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If you’ve experienced an extraordinary amount of health problems with your koi and goldfish this year you needn’t feel alone. We’ve seen more ulcer disease, infestation of ich and flukes, internal infections and unaccountable deaths this year than ever before. Customers who have had the same healthy fish for years have been experiencing losses this season of 25% or more without having added new fish or doing anything out of the ordinary.
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The call comes in. One of our customers is on the phone. His fish are acting strangely. Two of them are beating up on a third (poor fish) and he’s had one jump out of the pond. Fortunately it was found in time and survived the ordeal. There’s a strange foam on the water...
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If your fish exhibit any of the following activities there may be cause for concern. Head Hanging — (Not to be confused with head-banging, a rhythmic nodding action demonstrated by youth in the 70’s.) Head hanging is when one or more fish stay near the bottom of the pond with his head down. This is an indication of parasitic infestation.
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Definite noticeable changes occur in koi and goldfish, plants and the pond itself as the temperature of the water begins to drop. Leaves on water plants start to brown and die back. Koi and goldfish become less active and require less food. Leaves fall and cover the surface of the pond. The pond may suddenly clear up after not being clear all year. These are changes we see. The changes we do not see are just as important. Nitrifying bacteria, present all spring and summer in the biofilter, stop reproducing and become none effective. Biological functions in the fish’s bodies, controlled by temperature of the water, slow down and eventually the fish hover at the bottom of the pond in a state of semi-hibernation.
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When a fish is ill and it’s apparent that the illness is bacterial in nature we often refer to it as Aeromonas. We accuse this bad bacteria for a host of illnesses that other types of bacteria create. There’s actually several possible culprits including Pseudomonas, Flexibacter, Streptococcus and Edwardsiella. Aeromonas is by far the most commonly seen and causes dreaded holes in the skin. What they all have in common is that they all are deadly. Wage war on these bad bacterias before they wage war on your fish!
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Think of pH as the way the water feels against the fish’s skin. A low pH “burns” the skin because it is acidic. High pH “chaps” the skin because it is alkalinic. The ideal pH reading for koi and goldfish is around 7.5 but these fish can tolerate a range between 6.8 - 8.2.
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You may have to replace your bulb. Bulbs in UV’s have an effective usage life of 9 to 12 months. If you unplugged your UV during the winter months you extended it’s life. As a rule of thumb, a UV’s lamp should be replaced every year. The bulb loses power as it burns, therefore, it may still be lit but operating at 20% of its original power, rendering it ineffective for the purpose of killing algae. You’ll know when you need to replace your lamp simply by noticing that your UV is no longer clearing up the free-flowing algae.
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Ammonia is deadly. It is primarily created through the fish’s gills, kidneys and intestinal waste. Decaying uneaten food, plant material and leaves also contribute to ammonia accumulations. Ammonia is reportedly the leading cause of fish stress, breaking down his immunity system and leading to bacterial disease. Measurable to high levels of ammonia is common in new ponds (and aquariums), over-stocked ponds and established ponds from heavy feeding in the spring prior to biological bacteria growth or from inadequate filtration
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Certain biological processes must occur before a pond is fully seeded and balanced. Nitrifying bacteria must be present and working in the pond’s ecosystem before the pond can promote a healthy environment for aquatic life. New ponds will have none of those necessary biological processes in place. This creates a “New Pond Syndrome” that can be frustrating if the new pond owner is not equipped with knowledge on how to deal with it. Giving the pond time to develop these processes is the most important step and there are things that we can do to hasten the development.