About Koi clinic

My koi is probably getting sick, how can I do?
What kind of disease?
What kind of medicine should take?

If you have any situation above all, the 「information site」 is opening!
We would be happy to see if your anxiety can be relieved although it is limited.

Also, this site provides 「medication dosing evaluation」, so that you can calculate the dosing easily by only measuring the size of aquarium tank.
We will dedicate to providing the information in the future in order to give you a better aqua-life experience.

About the Koi disease

First of all, do fish get sick?

Yes, fish also get sick, the process is same as human when they get sick.
It occurs due to factors such as stress, weakened immune system, and exposure to pathogens.

Of course, fishes cannot tell us they get sick, it can be only checked and Seen by experienced veterinarians, then owners check the symptoms, and it is necessary to use appropriate 'ornamental fish medication'.

What is the fish disease?

Fish diseases can be classified as three main types.

First, the diseases caused by pathogens (such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites). There are over a hundred types of pathogens known to affect fish, but this site focuses primarily on diseases occurring in koi.
Second, the diseases caused by circumstance (such as feed, water quality), so called 「Environmental factors」.
Third, the diseases that occur genetically, such as constitution or breed.
You can treat disease with ornamental fish medication that are caused by pathogens.

How to prevent from the fish disease?

Take our human’s life as example, if you live with someone who infected with the influenza virus or coronavirus, the higher risk to be infected with the virus.
Another examples, if you get a wound untreated without disinfecting it, have bad eating habit (picky eater), live in a room with trashes, or wash suddenly in cold water, you will feel unwell.

Koi is the same. Primarily, bring the sick fishes in, scratch wound, feed with spoiled food, bad water quality, sudden temperature changes, and overcrowding.

As an owner, has to be always keep an eye on preventing from any cause which may have fish get sick and keep it in a comfortable environment.
Periodically and daily check, early detection, early treatment, the treatment would be easier comparably.

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Health management of Koi in Japan

■ Health management of spawn and fry in Japan

Breeder based on fish’s body

The breeder should be adjusted from powder to larger granules accompanies with their growth, typically around one to two months after incubation.
Many producers believe that brine shrimp is better as breeder’s feed when considering the feeding efficiency.
However, it is recommended to give breeder which full of balanced nutrition when we consider the importance of building the body at the beginning.
Take human as example, we consider the quality important because milk will affect their future growth during newborn.
It also can be applied to Koi‘s fry, nutrition intake also important to build healthy body.
The body which built from fry to breeder can benefit to build stronger bones and organs.

■ Health management of Spring in Japan

when the weather becomes warmer and start to feed, the digestive function becomes weak if you stopping feeding.
Observe the Koi’s health and water temperature, meanwhile gradually increasing the amount and frequency of feeding.
They will feel unwell if you suddenly feed too much.
Some producers feed a little in winter to prevent this situation.
it is recommended to start feed around 15°C water temperature.
At the beginning, provide the feed which help to digest is better.
You can return to normal amount if this is no problem when water temperature is over 18°C.
The pathogen gradually becomes active, so it is necessary to clean the filter or change water before using.

■ Health management of rain season in Japan

why is it getting sick easily during rainy season?

The main reasons which feel unwell easily during rainy season is the variation of water temperature and water quality.
because of this reason, Koi will feel unwell.
If you feed at outdoor, much water will be changed during raining, nature pond and water tank are same;
However, the change is quite fast and big if the water quantity is insufficient in feed circumstance.
Although this is quite reasonable, but when feed in water tank or in the FRP tank at outdoor, rid and roof are surprisingly important.
The pathogen is also much active when the water temperature is 18℃ to early 20℃ during rainy season.

■ Health management of Summer in Japan

The viral diseases will be inactive when the water temperature is over 28℃.
It is a season which a get sick difficultly during a year.
The most important thing which need to pay more attention is the quality of water during this period.
Recently, there are many breeds which add probiotics in in order to help decompose the fish poops.
This content can prevent from water pollution, but feed too many breeds lead to too many leftover will have negative impact on water quality surely.
The cleaning of filter tank is also important.
It is inappropriate to wash too much, the breeds and excrements will increase during summer compare to the other seasons.
Although it is still depending on the feed circumstance, cleaning at least one time a week, or one to twice a month is essential.

The way to feed to growth well.

In the past, feed the fry with its weight of 3% and twice a day, the adult fish with its weight of 2% and twice a day are common.
Recently, we got understand that it’s much efficient to feed more times (6 times is better than 3 times and better than twice) to have it grow up and bigger.
so-called feed many times means finish digestion then feed again.
Feed about six times from dawn to dusk, also some producers feed more than six times.

■ Health management of Autumn in Japan

In terms of Koi, it is a good season for them to be fed easily since the temperature drops.
Be careful not to suddenly feed too much.
It is usual during many Koi shows hold, stop feeding is best before Koi show.

disease in Autumn

Appropriate temperature is not only good for Koi, but also for pathogen during the season.
Once the water temperature exceeds 28℃, the rivals, bacteria and parasite become active.
The Spring is the same like that, whichever should be careful, so called Autumn.
Someone said koi become weak when the water temperature drops rather than rises.
Rather than the temperature rises from 25℃ to 28℃, it is much risk that the water temperature drops from 28℃ to 25℃ such as rain.
Koi will be easier to sick or feel unwell because of the environment change.

the fish’s activeness

For disease prevention, firstly, don’t bring in the pathogen is quite important.
This is high risk to bring pathogen in when move the Koi to another pond.
Koi will feel stress if the environment suddenly change.
It is common that Koi feel unwell or sick after change the pond.
Despite the fact that some producers use permanganate acid to disinfect,
it effects on their skin, so feed the breeder which contains mucous membrane support is recommended.

■ Health management of Winter in Japan

Should we feed the breeder or not when we don’t rise the water temperature?

Even if we feed the breeder when we rise the water temperature, actually it is only available when we can rise the water temperature.
There are also have some different opinions for professional Koi’s breeders.

“not feed” group

Stop feeding until next Spring, and then start it gradually.
It’s closer to natural, having Koi experience some degree of hungry, and then they will eat more.
Please be mindful that when the weather warms up, feeding them too much at once can result in failure for some beginners.

“feed” group

Feed the Koi in order to prepare for the Spring Koi show and decrease the risk of trouble at the beginning of Spring.
When we think of presenting the Koi in the Spring Koi show, we may not match the Spring Koi show if the color or body which made before Autumn drop; therefore, on the purpose of keeping the body and color, we feed only very limited foods (only 1-2 granules).
Fish will break down their own muscle and fat when they feel hungry.
In winter, their moving get slow so not cost energy; therefore, it is not easy to decrease the muscle.
It is beneficial for fish to have some energy reserves when they need to move.
Rather than abruptly feeding them a lot of food at the beginning of spring, it is better to give them a small amount to keep their internal organs functioning. This helps reduce the likelihood of problems occurring in the early spring.

Recently, the weather warmer up and then suddenly cooler down, this kind of unstable climate in Japan.
In order to prevent from the trouble, more and more people feed a little gradually, although they don’t rise the water temperature.
The best timing to feed is at noon (AM10:00-PM3:00), since the water temperature rises and observe the Koi’s situation.
The metabolism decreases during early evening to next sunrise, so don’t feed during the time.

The disease in Winter

Even though the risk of being sick will be decreased during winter since the water temperature drop,
it is necessary to pay attention on EUS (Epizootic Ulcerative Syndrome) or CEV (Carp Edema Virus) which easily get sick at low water temperature.
It is possible countermeasure that take saltwater bath or rise the water temperature,
but this sick is caused by viral, keeping high immunity is also an important countermeasure.
It is recommended to feed them a diet containing immune-supporting ingredients to maintain their health in good condition.

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