Well, a very important thing when you buy koi fish is being attentive about their illness. Well, of course, like every other specie that exist on this planet, koi fish also face some major diseases. We are Zen Aquarium, and we have been delivering premium koi fish from trusted farmers across NSW and ACT. Zen Aquarium is among the trusted names that provide aquarium fish for sale.
It's been more than 18 years now, and we have developed a decent understanding of keeping schools of fish healthy. So, through today's article, we will skim through some of the common koi fish disease symptoms and treatments.
1. Ich (White Spot Disease)
This is the most common disease we see in all types of koi fish. You will notice small white spots on your fish's body and fins. Your fish will also become lazy and stop eating food.
The white spots look like salt grains on your koi. Your fish will rub against walls and decorations because they feel itchy. Sometimes they stay near the surface, gasping for air.
Treatment for Ich
Put the sick fish in a separate tank because this will stop the disease from spreading to other fish.
Increase the water temperature to 28°C slowly. Use salt baths at 0.5% concentration for 10-15 minutes daily. You can also use anti-parasitic medicines like formalin.
Treatment takes about 2-3 weeks, so you have to maintain your patience and follow the medicine schedule properly.
2. Fish Lice
These are small, round parasites that look like tiny coins on your fish.
They move around on the fish's body.
We have also seen fish lice on some of our butterfly koi for sale, but it’s not really a major thing to panic about unless you ignore it!
Just be attentive when your koi scrape and rub constantly, this happens because lice feed on blood, which causes an itchy sensation. Apart from this, because lice feed on your koi’s blood, it will certainly make your fish weak.
Treatment for Fish Lice
Now there are a few ways to treat fish lice effectively. You can try removing visible lice with tweezers if you are really sure that you can do it the right way.
Otherwise, you can also treat the whole pond or aquarium with specific fish lice medicines. But make sure that you do not skip the treatment before the complete recommended time, and also increase water changes during treatment.
3. Fungal Infections
These look like cotton tufts or grey-white growths on your koi fish.
Actually, fungal infections in koi fish happen because of poor water quality or when there is an active injury on your koi’s skin.
Treatment for Fungal Infections
Like we recommended for every koi fish disease, the first thing you need to do is isolate the affected fish when you notice a fungal infection. Then use anti-fungal medicines suitable for koi fish. Keep water quality perfect during treatment. Continue until all fungal growth disappears.
4. Fin Rot and Mouth Rot
This is a bacterial infection in which your koi's fins will look ragged and torn. The colours fade and fins start decaying from the edges. In mouth rot, the mouth becomes red and swollen.
Fin edges turn white or black. Pieces may fall off. Fish have trouble eating when mouth rot happens.
This usually occurs when water quality is poor or fish get injured.
Treatment for Fin Rot and Mouth Rot
Test your water and do a water change immediately. Put sick fish in a clean treatment tank.
Use antibacterial medicines like WipeOut. Follow dosage instructions carefully. Change 25% water every few days in the treatment tank.
Keep testing ammonia and nitrite levels during treatment.
5. Dropsy
This is a serious internal infection. Your koi's body swells up, and scales stick out like a pinecone. Fish become very lazy and stay at the bottom.
This happens when fish are already stressed from poor water. The fish can't control its body fluids properly.
Treatment for Dropsy
Move the fish to the isolation tank immediately. Keep the water warm and add pond salt. Provide good aeration.
Use fish antibiotics. You might need to ask a fish vet for the right medicine. Dropsy is serious, so start treatment quickly.
6. Anchor Worm
These are white, thread-like worms you can see on your fish. They have fork-shaped ends that dig into the fish's skin.
This is a really harmful koi fish disease, and with anchor worms, your koi will swim strangely and rub against things. You'll see red sores where worms attach.
Treatment for Anchor Worm
Using a tweezer, very gently pull the anchor worm out from your koi’s skin. Also, treat the whole pond with medicines containing Cyromazine or Trichlorfon.
After that, you will need to disinfect the wound caused by the worm using very mild ointments like povidone-iodine. Also, check for new worms, and if you see one, remove it right away.
7. Ulcers
These are open sores on your koi's body. They look red and inflamed, sometimes with white or yellow centres.
Ulcers are painful. Fish might hide more and eat less. They start from small injuries that get infected.
Treatment for Ulcers
Improve water quality with water changes. Put sick fish in a clean treatment tank.
Use antibiotics as directed by the fish vet. Keep the treatment tank very clean with frequent water changes.
How To Prevent Common Diseases In Koi Fish?
Well, you can not completely terminate the risk of diseases in koi fish, like any other fish. But what you can do is take some extra precaution steps to minimise the risk.
We tell this every time, because for fish health, it’s a very important consideration. You should pay regular attention to the water quality because bad water quality is actually responsible for the majority of koi fish diseases. So you should regularly test your pond water for ammonia, nitrites, and pH..
Another important point is to never overcrowd your pond, because this way you will create a clumsy environment for all your koi fish.
At last, always quarantine new fish before adding them to your main pond.
Zen Aquarium Gives You Ongoing Support When Your Koi Isn’t Well
Yes, when your koi doesn’t feel right or you find any of the above symptoms in your koi, we are here to assist you. We will suggest the right medication that you can use, as well as the right steps that will help you recover your koi’s health.
At Zen Aquarium, we provide healthy butterfly koi for sale and other aquarium fish for sale with expert advice. You can simply call us at 0478 757 332 or write us an email at info@zenaquariumau.com, and we will get back to you at the earliest.
Our store opens only on SUNDAY at Paddy's Market, Flemington, from 7 am to 3:30 pm. Building D, 250-318 Parramatta Road, Enter Via Potts St or Austin Avenue, Homebush West, NSW, 2140. So, you can also visit our store.