Medications Update – Fluke M
7th November 2007
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As part of our regular review of medication products to ensure that we have available up-to-date approved products, we have just added to our range of medications “Fluke M” made by Kusuri Products Ltd.
Based on a Flubendazole medication which we have used for some time, ‘Fluke M’ is available to the hobbyist and will successfully eradicate gill flukes and body flukes. On sale at £18.99, this medication can be used at any temperature and 65grams treats 5500 gallons as a one-off treatment.
Safe to use with all cold water ornamental fish. This medication has a three year shelf life. However, it should be used within three months of opening. This product can also be used for the eradication of pond snails and intestinal helminths.
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This Veterinary Medicine is marketed in accordance with the Small Animal Exemption Scheme and authorised by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).
If you are having problems with gill or skin flukes and would like advice with medication and in using ‘Fluke M’, please do not hesitate to give us a phone call on 01243 572762.
South Hants Health Seminar At Chidham Village Hall on Sunday 28th October, 2007 @ 2.15pm
17th October 2007
Gerry Searching for Parasites |
The South Hants Health Seminar (formally ‘Beginners Class 3’ has been altered in structure this year to provide interest to a wide range of audience, at all levels.In the Seminar, we will look at items such as how to tell if your Koi is unwell, look at what are the major causes of problems, basic health equipment etc.
We will also discuss your water supply, testing, the ‘medicine chest’, feeding & medication. We will briefly cover the use of anesthetics, topical treatment, water quality problems & parasite identification/ microscopy. We also want to update you about the changes in technology and the tools now available for disease diagnostics, and about the problem areas we have encountered recently.
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| Following the discussion, there will be hands-on practical work where you can take mucus scrapes (under full guidance) and use the microscope for parasitic identification. We also want you to have a go at anesthetising a Koi and topical treat any wounds requiring attention, as last year. ‘Hands- on’ is the most effective way to learn topical treatments. Protective gloves will be provided!
We will have strict bio-security measures in place to avoid mixing Koi from different sources. The welfare of any Koi brought to the event will have priority.
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Cleaning Wound |
Finally, has anybody who will be attending the class got any sick Koi that requires attention? If so, please could you phone us during the week prior to the event on 01243 572762 so we can come fully prepared. Arrangements are being made to put some vats up in the venue to accommodate our aquatic friends.
Rod & Gerry Isted.
Festival Of Fishkeeping – Hayling Island Saturday & Sunday 13th & 14th October, 2007
8th October 2007
Healthy Koi are pleased to announce that they will again be attending the FBAS Festival of Fishkeeping this year. Said by many to be one of the UK’s top aquatic shows displaying coldwater and tropical fish from all over the world, it is the Federation of Aquatic Societies showpiece for the year. In addition to extensive coldwater and tropical fish displays, there will be a Koi festival taking place and attended by the South East, Middlesex & Surrey Borders, Worthing & District and the South Hants Koi Clubs. The Show will be open to the public from 10.00am to 5.00pm on Saturday and Sunday 13th & 14th October, 2007. The event will be held at the Mill Rythe Holiday Village on Hayling Island, Hampshire and the route will be signposted from the A27 Havant junction southwards.
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In addition to our water quality management and bio- security roles, we will again be having our trade stand and our enthusiastic and friendly staff will be in attendance to help you with any queries that you may have on Koi health matters and Koi diseases. Our stand will include a full range of Koi health products including microscopes, water test meters, medications, topical treatments, swabs and many other interesting items, all at special show prices. You will have the opportunity to look at the new Hanna C203 multimeter with improved accuracy.
In addition to our usual products, you will be able to look at some of our new range of equipment including the Micro-cell Ozone Generator and our new power supply and temperature monitoring system.
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Should there be any specific items you are interested in, please do not hesitate to give us a phone call on 01243 572762 in advance and we will ensure that these will be available for you to look at on show day.
Health Seminar at Worthing & District Section BKKS on Sunday 7th October
2nd October 2007
Following a health seminar held on the East Coast last weekend, Healthy Koi will be giving a talk at the Worthing and District BKKS Section on Sunday 7th October. The talk will cover testing for KHV, buying Koi safely and recent developments in disease diagnostics. The talk will be held at The Scout Hall, The Street, East Preston, West Sussex and start at 2.30 pm. Should anybody wish to attend, please do not hesitate to contact Steve Watson, who organized the talk, on 01273 453771.
Update on Viral and Koi Disease detection
3rd Septemeber 2007
Gerry Recording the Koi |
Up to the summer 2006, our main diagnostic tool which we used to confirm suspected cases of KHV was the Polymer Chain Reaction (PCR) test. This test involved the culling of the Koi for viral and pathological examination. However, the use of this test was limited as it was only viable during the active stage of the disease and does not detect the carriers which can become subsequently active when the required temperature and stressors conditions are met. When this occurs, the carrier can infect others. |
| With the development of the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test, a small blood sample is taken from live fish, which are anethised first. Koi which have been exposed to KHV or have been vaccinated, will carry antibodies which, within a prescribed time frame, can be detected. If positive, the Koi will have the potential to transmit the virus to naive (previously unexposed) Koi and cause a disease outbreak in those fish.
In addition to this ‘standalone test’, we very much favour the Western test. This totally new type of test looks at components in the blood sample and gives us a wider picture on recent exposures to any serious disease.
With the advent of the new tests and improvements in intravenous blood sampling techniques, it is possible to test a fish for a virus without the need for culling, which predated methods used.
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Blood sampling |
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Sample Vials |
In addition to the virology testing, blood samples can also be used to test the normal physiological functions of the fish and to check toxic exposure in major organs such as the liver and kidneys. Dietary problems such as anaemia are often encountered during periods of poor health and in extreme cases, can be corrected using vitamin deficiency injections. Testing the functions of a fish’s major organs can be of vital importance if toxicity is suspected and there is the need to administer antibiotics. Some antibiotics such as many of those in the Aminoglycides group can put more strain on organs such as the liver, than others. If these organs are already in poor state, from say, toxic exposure, then there is the possibility of failure and mortality if these are used.
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In looking at bacteriology, all difficult systemic or ulcerated infections, and those which are having difficulties in healing, were previously sampled on the surface using a carrier swab. This was then sent to the pathology lab for bacteria identification and anti-biotic sensitivity testing. This method has its limitations. As it’s a ‘surface’ swab, you can also be sampling bacteria from the pond environment and not identifying the primary culprit. However, a blood sample can look for ‘deep seated’ internal pathogens which may be causing the infections, and the most effective antibiotic to use can be found more easily.
At Healthy Koi we firmly believe in the advantages of using blood sampling as a diagnostic tool and work to advance this area. As few in the UK undertake blood sampling at the present time, we donate surplus blood samples to the few UK laboratories who conduct viral research and to one which is currently developing a new KHV vaccine.
We would like to give a very big thanks to all the fish keepers who allowed us to pass on surplus blood samples from their fish stock, to benefit all.
Thankfully with the cooler weather, the incidence of KHV has been lower this year. Unfortunately we have been involved with several instances of metal toxicity problems, which appears to be on an increase. Water samples and blood samples have proved invaluable in diagnosing this problem and in directing treatment. Although Koi keepers don’t test for metals as standard, it is important to be aware that significantly high levels of metals in the water can be harmful and potentially fatal for our fish.
Testing for metals is not normally needed in our local South Coast area as the levels in our water supply, which comes from the deep chalk aquifers, are fairly low. However, in other parts of the country, metals testing should be undertaken during the setting-up stage of your pond to give you an indication if remedial measures should be taken. Before doing this, check with the Schedule 4 water quality report for your area which can be obtained free of charge from your Water service provider For areas where metal levels are higher in the water supply, water purifiers are available that remove high levels of metals from the supply.
In addition, you should be aware of the ingredients in any water additives that you may use in your pond or tank. Examples are disinfectants and blanket weed inhibitors. Please check the ingredients of your products, even those which are ‘natural’ and are ‘environmentally friendly’, as you could be unwittingly adding unsafe levels of chlorine or metals back into your water.
Should you require any further information, help, or you have any concerns or require a check-up for peace of mind, please do not hesitate to give us a call. We are able to help you with the diagnosing of a problem and provide you with all the assistance you need.
*Please note that intravenous blood sampling should not be carried out by the hobbyist but only by those with professional experience. Factors such as needle size, volume of blood removed, and the positioning of the needle are critical if you are not to injure your fish or cause unnecessary suffering.*
Are your Koi Flashing and Jumping ?
3rd August 2007
We have had many calls over the past 2/3 weeks from people who are concerned that their Koi may have parasites because they are flashing & jumping. One person was unaware that he may well have the answer when he also mentioned that "my pH is only 7.5 (its usually 8.5 to 9.0).
During the past couple of weeks, we have had a considerable amount of sporadic and sometimes continual heavy rain. The rainwater in our area is usually slightly acidic and soft and during heavy or continuous downpours, can alter the ambient pH of our ponds. This causes our Koi to react. A small swing in pH can cause stressing and a large reaction from our Koi.
This is nothing to worry about unless the change is severe. Just give it a few days and all will settle down. Adding some clay to the pond will assist as it will help to re-mineralise and buffer the water. If the flashing continues to occur for some time, give us a ring and we will check for the cause of irritation (check the water quality and take some mucus scrapes).
As a matter of interest, we noticed that some of our Koi in our ponds were jumping yesterday and on checking the water quality, the pH has dropped to 7.7 (Usually 8.2 to 8.5) despite high oxygen levels. They should settle again in a couple of days.
One of the benefits of living on the South Coast is that our rainfall although slightly acidic, is generally inert when in come to toxicity of our Koi although occasionally, there have been exceptions (we usually blame the continental air masses). However, we have been far more fortunate that some of our fellow fish keepers living in the industrial areas in the Midlands & North where over the past few weeks, some losses have occurred through toxic Sulphur Dioxide in the rainfall.
Should you have any continuing problems, please do not hesitate to contact us.
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The Law and Fishkeeping
30th July 2007
The animal Welfare Bill became law in England from the 6th April, 2007. It is the largest change to animal rights this centaury.
Although It is still against the law to be cruel to an animal, you must now also ensure that all the welfare needs of your animals are met. To enable this to happen, the law gives all pets, whether they be cats, dogs, horses or fish, ‘Five Freedoms’ which must be provided. These are:
- Appropriate diet.
- Suitable living conditions.
- Companionship/ solitude as appropriate.
- Monitoring for abnormal behavior.
- Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
The new law also increases to 16 the minimum age at which a person can buy an animal (including fish) and prohibits giving animals (fish) as prizes to unaccompanied children under this age.
Anyone who is cruel to an animal, or does not provide for its welfare needs, may be banned from owning animals, fined up to £20,000 and/or sent to prison. The Act also enables the government and Parliament to make secondary legislation on specific issues. The issues which are being looked at includes:
- Mutilations and Tail Docking.
- Racing Greyhounds.
- Pet Fairs and Pet Sales (including Koi Shows).
- Primates as Pets.
- Wild Animals in Circuses.
- Game Birds.
In order to help you to comply with the law, HKL run various courses and training sessions for your company or club. The training sessions will give you an insight and guidance to all the aspects required by legislation in looking after and caring for your fish. For further details and information, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01243 572762.
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Middlesex and Surrey Border’s (MSB) Koi Show
2nd July 2007
Healthy Koi will be attending the Middlesex and Surrey Border’s (MSB) Koi Show this year. The MSB event is a closed Koi show, which means the finest Koi from only the MSB club will be exhibited. The show will be held at ‘The Rosery’, Shepperton, in Middlesex on Sunday 15th July, starting at 10.30am. This will be a great day out for the family, with activities including a raffle, auction, bar, barbecue and a bouncy castle.
Healthy Koi will be there to safe-guard the Koi with their water quality management and bio-security roles. Our enthusiastic and friendly staff will be there on our trade stand to assist you with any queries that you may have on Koi health matters and Koi diseases.
Our stand will include a full range of Koi health products including microscopes, water test meters, medications, topical treatments, swabs and many other interesting items, all at special show prices. You will have the opportunity to look at bubblebead filters and the new Hanna C203 multimeter with improved accuracy.
Should there be any specific items you are interested in, please do not hesitate to give us a phone call on 01243 572762 in advance and we will ensure that these will be available for you to look at on show day.
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Koi Herpes Virus – New Statutory Controls
Let us check your Koi if you are Concerned
8th June 2007
Legal Obligation to Notify KHV Disease
1. The Diseases of Fish (England and Wales) Order 2007 (SI 2007 No.864), which came into force on 6 April 2007, makes it a legal obligation to report suspicion that inland waters have become infected with KHV Disease.
2. The Act sets out who should undertake the notification and the control measures for fisheries, other inland sites, fish farms, fish dealers and (fish) retailers. The Act also deals with Aquaria and Garden Ponds and we have set out brief details below.
What constitutes suspicion of KHV Disease?
DEFRA’s definition is: “Dead or dying fish with other clinical evidence such as bleeding from the gills, white patches on the gills or skin, sunken eyes and hyperactive behaviour in fisheries. These signs usually appear when water temperatures are between 15 o and 28 oC”.
However, these clinical signs in part can be associated with many other diseases therefore please do not panic if your Koi exhibits some of these features. Sunken eyes are not unusual with very sick fish which can be due to many causes.
Aquaria and Garden Ponds
- Hobbyists and other owners of ornamental fish should notify the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) of suspicion of infection with KHV Disease. The FHI will make a diagnosis on the basis of information provided about clinical signs of disease and assess the potential for the spread of infection.
- Where the spread of infection is assessed as negligible, no further action will be taken by the FHI. Site owners will instead be provided with written advice on the management of KHV Disease in aquaria and garden ponds.
- Where the assessment indicates potential for spread to inland waters, a sample will be taken for diagnostic purposes and, on confirmation of the disease, a cull of the affected fish and disinfection of the facility will be advised. If this is not feasible, a DAO will be placed on the site to prohibit the movement of fish on or off the site.
- Diagnostic testing on sites assessed as negligible risk will be available only on a commercial basis through Cefas Technology Ltd (CTL). (ie – you have to pay for it if you want it undertaken)
- Notification should be made to:
Fish Health Inspectorate
Cefas
The Nothe, Barrack Road
Weymouth
Dorset DT4 8UB
Tel: +44 (0) 1305 206600
Fax: +44 (0) 1305 206601
Email: fishhealthinspectorate@cefas.co.uk
Should anybody wish to read the full details of the Act, please contact us.
In looking at the Act in relation to hobbyist ponds, provided your pond is not connected to, or discharges into, an inland waterway, the spread of infection is assessed as negligible and no further action will be taken.
We are dealing with bacterial and viral fish diseases throughout the UK on a full time regular basis. As I write this article now, Gerry & Rod are busy loading the car and we will be off to East Anglia in a few hours for a three days visit, to investigate two separate incidents.
Should anybody have the slightest concern with regards to the possibility of KHV, please do not hesitate to contact us at any time and talk through any difficulties you may have. In most cases, the problems are likely to lie in other areas and can easily be remedied. We are more than pleased to make a follow up pond visit and if necessary, take samples for viral, bacterial and sensitivity testing. Lets make sure that it’s not some other problem before you contact the Fish Health Inspectorate.
Japanese Foods now being stocked
18th May 2007
As a result of requests from many of our customers, Healthy Koi Limited have now increased the selected range foods held in stock to include the top quality products currently being produced by industry leaders, the Japanese Pet Food Company. This range of products is superb in every sense and our range includes:
Medicarp |
Medicarp is the most advanced formula in the industry. It contains concentrated Lactoferin for increased resistance against disease and infection. Medicarp promotes vitality and vigour in every facet of fish health. |
Nobori |
Nobori has been developed as a colour enhancer food for Koi. With no artificial colouring added, it is particularly effective in maintaining the health of carp. The perfect food to use in lower water temperatures, and it has been long term evaluated that the contents of this food is more beneficial than a pure wheatgerm based alternative. |
Yamato Nishiki |
Yamato Nishiki does not fall into this cheap economy food category and can be used with confidence, as indeed we do on a daily basis in our ponds. In our opinion no economy food comes anywhere near close to Yamato Nishiki quality, further offering all the essential ingredients that makes this Koi food stand head and shoulders above the rest of the pack. |
Sakura |
Sakura is a premium grade Koi food formulated to promote a higher growth rate and more vibrant colours for your special Koi.
The food is very palatable and is manufactured to maintain its shape and not cloud the water. |
South Hants Koi Show and Koi Health
1st May 2007
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Healthy Koi are pleased to announce that they will again be attending the South Hants Koi Show this year. Reputed to be one of the UK’s top regional Koi shows, the South Hants 16th Open Koi Show will be held again at the Southdowns College, Waterlooville, near Portsmouth on Sunday 27th May and Monday 28th May, 2007. The Show, which opens to the public from 10am until 5pm, will host an exciting range of Koi trade stands and craft stalls and will include bonsai & aquarium displays. For the first time, the South Hants FBAS Tropical Show will take place at this venue on the Sunday.
In addition to our water quality management and bio- security roles, we will again be having our trade stand and our enthusiastic and friendly staff will be in attendance to help you with any queries that you may have on Koi health matters and Koi diseases. |
Our stand will include a full range of Koi health products including microscopes, water test meters, medications, topical treatments, swabs and many other interesting items, all at special show prices. You will have the opportunity to look at the new Hanna C203 multimeter with improved accuracy.
Should there be any specific items you are interested in, please do not hesitate to give us a phone call on 01243 572762 in advance and we will ensure that these will be available for you to look at on show day.
Improvement to Payment systems
22nd April 2007
Healthy Koi Ltd has just updated its payment systems in order to provide a greater flexibility and choice for our customers in the payment of services and products.
As our core business includes working pond side on fish health matters, we have investigated secure mobile transaction solutions which will satisfy all sectors of our business. As a result, we are pleased to announce that we have invested in a mobile GPRS device. So whether you’re purchasing products or paying for Koi health treatments either from our website, over the phone or in person, this can now be done with a credit or debit card. We will now be able to accept all major credit & debit cards with ‘chip & pin’ or the CNP (customer not present) scenario.
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We now accept
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Viral Detection Advances
14th March 2007
Healthy Koi Ltd are now undertaking blood sampling to improve viral detection techniques in their determined fight against KHV. The company has considerable experience in viral disease over many years and is adjusting its detection protocol continually, as technology advances to meet the needs of industry.
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Record the koi |
Up to the summer 2006, the main diagnostic tool which we used to confirm our pondside diagnosis has been the Polymer Chain Reaction (PCR) test. This test usually involves the culling of the Koi for viral and pathological examination. However, the test results are only viable during the active stage of the disease and does not detect the latency of carriers which can become active when the required temperature and stressors conditions are met, to re-infect others. |
| With the development of the ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) test, a small blood sample is taken from live fish, which are anesthetised first. Koi which have been exposed to KHV or have been vaccinated will carry antibodies which, within a prescribed time frame, can be detected by the supporting laboratory. If positive, the Koi will have the potential to transmit the virus to naive (previously unexposed) Koi and cause a disease outbreak in those fish. At the present time there are several different types of ELISA test and we have discussed with CEFAS the ‘base line levels’ in order to improve the accuracy of the outcome. In addition to this ‘standalone test’, we also favour the test which is currently run by Lincolnshire Fish Health who are pioneers in our industry. This totally new type of test looks at components in the blood sample and gives us a wider picture on recent exposures to any serious disease. |
Blood sampling |
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Sample Vials |
With the advent of blood sampling, we have assisted a major Koi dealer with the blood sampling of the autumn harvest on arrival in the UK from Japan, in order to provide the best assurances to their customers. |
As a limited amount of blood sampling is undertaken, our surplus fish blood, not used in the ELISA testing protocol, has beed used by other UK laboratories for viral research purposes and by a UK company who are working on the development of a KHV vaccine.
Should you require any further information, please give us a call on 01243 572762. |
Centrifuge |
Animal transport licence granted
4th January 2007
Following a successful application, Healthy Koi Limited has been granted an animal transport licence on the 10th November by the Government’s State Veterinary Service. This authorisation allows us to undertake the movement of fish on all journeys over 65km and over 8 hours in duration, by road, sea and air within the UK and EU countries. The authorisation is for a period of five years and expires on the 4th January, 2012.
As a result of changes in animal welfare legislation, new regulations come into effect on the 5th. January, 2007 which is intended to improve the welfare of animals during transport. It will apply to any business that moves live vertebrate animals, including fish. Two types of authorisation are required by law and are being issued by the State Veterinary Service; Type 1 is for short journeys over 65km and up to eight hours and Type 2 for long journeys including those of eight hours or over.
The Type 2 authorisation for the longer journeys given to Healthy Koi will allow us to continue to move Koi and other fish for our Clients within the requirements of current animal welfare law and our strict operating procedures which accords with HLK methodology and OATA guidelines.
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