Ulcers may appear, the culprit, Aeromonas/Pseudomonas.
They begin as reddish spots on the skin of the fish and will eventually
turn into large holes. They turn inward and infect internal organs as well.
Often hidden on the underbelly of the fish we do not see them until the
ulcer is in a more developed and dangerous stage. Septicemia can occur.
This infection is internal and can cause your fish to spiral instead
of swim.
Bacterial Dropsy is another example of
bacteria attacking from within. The eyes of the fish bulge as does his
body and the scales along his side may stick out like a pinecone. More
than likely the bacteria of one of the Big Four has entered the Koi's system.
Bacterial Gill Disease causes the fish
to gasp for air and hang just beneath the surface or under a waterfall.
If the inside of the gill is a brown/green color it is more than likely
this disease. Another cause would be Gill Flukes. They have the same symptoms
but with out the infection part. Irregardless, Gill Flukes can also cause
the Bacterial Gill Disease. Flukes in general can attach to any part of
the fish causing an ulcer which only leads to further problems.
In extreme cases you
can smell bacteria. It smells bad. If your pond smells like sulfur or rotten
eggs it’s a good bet that bacteria is running rampant in your system. You
need to rectify this immediately.
How To Prevent Bacterial Outbreaks:
There’s nothing better to prevent bacterial
complications than a clean, healthy pond environment.
Here are some tips to help protect your fish
from the threat of bacterial infections:
Do Not Over-Crowd the Pond
When you crowd too many people into a room someone
will get sick, even if no one was ill before coming in. Everyone needs
a little elbow room, even fish. Stress, like in humans is a major
factor in inducing disease in fish. Try to avoid stressful situations and
conditions. Stress by itself through overcrowding or simply moving fish
from one pond to another can sometimes be enough to allow a bacterial infection
to start.
Keep Excellent Water Quality
Imagine living, eating and sleeping in a smoke
filled room. (Some of us do!) We have the option, however, of going outside
for a breath of fresh air. Fish do not. Their water is their living, eating
and sleeping environment. Keep it clean, ammonia and nitrite free! Keep
up good water circulation. Water within the pond environment that is stagnant
or slow moving is an ideal environment for bacteria to flourish. Add fresh
water. To dilute the ratio of bacteria to water, replace approx. 10% of
water on a weekly basis and they will grow faster too. Don't forget a good filtration system that will
help keep the pond balanced. Poor water quality can burn off the
slime coat or stress the koi making it more susceptible to the bacteria.
Click
Here for more on Water Quality and the Nitrogen Cycle.
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