pond-life-5-august-2016

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Mid Atlantic Pond Life

Issue No. 5, Aug. 2016 2016

MID ATLANTIC POND LIFE The MAKC Newsletter Published by The Hudson Valley Koi and Water Garden Club

The Necessity of Quarantine

By Paul Tomasko What seemed to be an inspiring story of quick action and devoted teamwork in June turned into a harrowing experience in early July. Just a few weeks after about a dozen rescue fish had been saved in extremis from an ammonia-laden holding tank, it was learned that the fish were contaminated with flukes and costia.

In the June issue of Pond Life I described how a spawning had taken place in a quarantine tank and how the ammonia had risen to dangerous levels. I gave the warning in July about not placing a fish that looked “perfectly healthy” in a pond unless it was checked. Well I panicked and did not heed my own advice and as a result contaminated seven ponds.

I was on crutches and having a hard time getting around, but I should have called on club members to help me set up another tank and clean filters and keep the fish still in quarantine. Instead we made the decision to move them out and into other ponds.

This created a situation that used a lot of Proform C and Prazi to correct. I also treat-

ed my pond and one other with Potassium Permanganate. It took three doses of Proform and one dose of Prazi and over a week of treatments to correct. In the process three fish did not make it.

At our last chapter meeting Jo Mead our President (and chief medical examiner) discussed this and made everyone aware of the need to quarantine. One of the good things that came out of this is we now know the size of all members’ ponds and have an Excel sheet with gallons and dosages. We also are creating a medicine cabinet for the club so there will not a panic and the need to drive hours, as Jo did, to get meds or to wait until they can be shipped.

Some lessons are learned the hard way. Hopefully this is one that I won't forget.

In light of recent fish health issues, Jo Mead will try to arrange to have Hudson Valley chapter members’ fish checked for parasites if requested. You can reach Jo at (845) 389-5712 or jo_mead@earthlink.net.

In This Issue This month’s issue focuses on ways to keep fish healthy and how to be prepared in the event of health issues. You’ll find useful information on: • The need to quarantine • How to keep a medicine cabinet for your fish • Euthanasia • Hot weather and aeration

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Mid Atlantic Pond Life

Issue No. 5, August 2016

Keep a Medicine Cabinet for your Fish

by Jennifer Hauer When a problem or illness occur (generally on a Sunday or holiday) it’s good to have some basics on hand to avoid tragedy. First, if you are going to have Koi you really must invest in a quarantine tank. A 300 gallon stock tank available at Agway makes a good one. The bottom plug can be fitted with a valve to allow for discharging large amounts of water quickly for water changes. You will need a filter and a small compressor and aeration tube or stone. I use a biobate filter with a small submersible pump, generally a mag 3, which pumps 5.8 gpm so that the total number of gallons in the tank is filtered every hour. Of course if you have the space and finances for a larger Q-tank that’s great; the larger body of water the more stable the water chemistry. New fish should ALWAYS be quarantined before introducing them into your pond and the tank should be heated to ensure that they do not have khv, a deadly, contagious virus. When I quarantine I treat for protozoan parasites as well as flukes and examine the fish for external macroscopic bugs such as anchorworm and fish lice.

Testing & Treating: What to have on hand Every pond keeper should have test kits to monitor water paramaters. Remember: clear water does not mean healthy water! You should be able to test for ph, total alkalinity, Nitrate, Nitrite and Ammonia.

Salt: Salt will knock back some parasites but many are resistant. It will increase the slime coat of your fish, which is the first line of defense. It also helps to balance osmotic pressure in fish with open wounds. It replaces electrolytes in water and can be used to curb nitrite absorption. Salt must be non-iodized and not have yps or minerals. Never put salt in your skimmer or filter intake. One pound per hundred gallons will protect koi and goldfish for a couple of weeks but water changes are better.

Please remember that salt decreases oxygen so be prepared to add aeration. Salt should be

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added over a three day span to bring the concentration up to 0.3% Dechlorinator: Chlorine is toxic to fish; it causes irreversible gill damage. ALWAYS have more dechlor on hand than you need; Doc Johnson says three times as much. Prime by Seachem removes chlorine, chloramine and detoxifies Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. 500 mls costs about $10 and is available at Petsmart. It treats 5,000 gallons. It can also be purchased in 2 and 4 liter sizes through PentairAES.com [(877)347-4788], a great catalog for everything aquatic with very nice techs ready to help with all sorts of advice.

Baking soda/Oyster shell: These are buffers that can be used to help with crashes and keep ph balanced.

Hydrogen peroxide-3%: Available at pharmacies, Hydrogen peroxide can be used to increase dissolved oxygen in an emergency. ALWAYS apply to water AWAY from fish as undiluted gill damage can occur. Get it in a squirt bottle and you can spray under the water surface -- ½ cup per 100 gallons or about 60 squirts. During a dissolved oxygen emergency, fish will leave the surface and start acting normally within an hour of application.

Nets: I personally use black soft nylon nets that are round shallow and wide this allows easy horizontal movement in the water, with minimal drag and are less visable to the fish. I also have a koi sock that is indispensable once the fish is in the large net. Fish bags as well as large Tupperware tubs with lids that snap shut are really great to have on hand. Remember even really sick fish Jump and the last thing we want is a fish flapping around on the ground injuring itself.

Proform C: Used for protozoan parasites, Proform C is a very effective 3-day treatment with water changes. Keep from extreme heat or freezing.

Praziquantel: This is for flukes and tapeworms; it is very, very safe. Get the powdered form.

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Mid Atlantic Pond Life

Issue No. 5, August 2016

Koi Medicine Cabinet (cont.)

Praziquantel stays in the pond for seven days with no need for water changes.

Tricaine-s: This is for anesthetizing or if necessary euthanizing fish. Oil of clove can also be used but takes longer and is smellier. These are the only humane options! [editor’s note: see Jo Mead’s article in this issue].

Express IDI: An effective and economical treatment for anchorworms and fish lice.

These are the basics to have on hand that will cover most koi health or water quality issues.

Water quality is paramount; once parasites are eliminated many wounds heal remarkably quickly as long as water is healthy. For ulcers or bacterial infections that are more serious or that have not been covered please contact our president Jo Mead; she will facilitate getting the help you need.

My quick list of supplies to keep on hand in case of pond or mechanical failure Rescue tape: This is a self fusing, permanent seal, waterproof airtight tape. It insulates up to 8,000v, is heat resistant to 500 degree F and has 950 psi tensile strength. You stretch it and wrap … great stuff.

Various pvc pipe fittings and spare pipe, the diameter, of course, of your filter skimmer etc. Also pvc cleaner, glue, and a hacksaw.

A variety of clamps and hose adapters Many of our members are quite knowledgeable about equipment and pond design. If you haven’t yet built, gather as much info as possible before you begin and go as large as possible for a more stabile environment.

Hudson Valley Meeting Draws Record Attendance With about two dozen enthusiastic participants, the July meeting of the Hudson Valley chapter counted among the best attended in recent memory. Jo Mead sat in for Herb Ehrich to preside over the session, held on a warm Sunday afternoon around Paul Tomasko’s pond in Saugerties.

had concluded, everyone gathered for a scrumptious variety of refreshments and plenty of friendly gab.

Jo recounted the harrowing experience of treating seven infected ponds just before the July 4 weekend (see p. 1). She and Jennifer Hauer reviewed various health and sanitary measures to prevent such incidents in the future (see Jennifer’s article).

After a lively introductory roundtable, your newsletter editor reviewed distribution issues while the holiday committee detailed half a dozen options for the chapter’s year-end event. Once the 90-minute formal session

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Mid Atlantic Pond Life

Issue No. 5, August 2016

To Air is Humane

Election Results

A Message from MAKC President Jo Mead

Results from the annual MAKC officers election held at the Long Island chapter on June 26 show that 67 ballots were cast, reports Jo Mead. The results also show that, with the exception of a single write-in vote in the South chapter, every candidate received 67 votes. All candidates ran unopposed.

It has been a very brutal summer with the heat. I cannot stress enough the importance of aeration in your pond. If you see your fish congregating by the water fall it is a good indication that there is not enough aeration in the pond.

Also, for those who rely on well water for water changes, the lack of rain can/will greatly affect the kH and pH in your well. It is best to test your water frequently to closely monitor the situation. With that in mind it is good to have baking soda and oyster shells on hand on case of pH crash.

I like/rely on the Seneye Monitoring System. It will keep track electronically of the temperature, ammonia, water level and pH of your aquarium or pond. You can receive text/email alerts if one of the parameters is off. This is great when you are away.

The position of MAKC Secretary remains open as no one stepped forward to run. Herb Ehrich continues to be the sole officer holding two positions: MAKC Vice President and Hudson Valley Chapter Vice President.

According to the MAKC bylaws (Article VIII, A): The President shall appoint a nominating committee consisting of three (3) persons including the chairperson which shall present a slate of candidates for each office. At chapter meetings in April, the slate of the nominating committee shall be received into nomination followed by any additional nominations for the offices from the floor. At chapter meetings in May votes shall be cast by secret ballot for each office. Each member family in good standing may cast only one vote for each office.

Helpful Link: Don’t Get Into Hot Water As water temperatures rise, pumps should be running 24/7 in order to supply enough aeration to keep pond water supplied with oxygen. Now is a critical time to keep your pond system running. To learn more about the importance of oxygen in pond water, click on this link to an article by Don Harrawood, Koi Health Advisor for the Southwest Koi and Pond Association. http://texaskoi.org/oxygenlimiting-factors-ponds/

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Mid Atlantic Pond Life

Issue No. 5, August 2016

Euthanasia

by Jo Mead Perhaps the kindest thing you can do for a pet fish that is extremely ill or severely injured is to induce its death humanely through euthanasia.

There are many misconceptions on the web on how to euthanize a fish. Our recommendations follow the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) recommendations of overdose as a preferred and humane method.

Regardless of the method used, use a container large enough for the fish to swim around freely. After adding the fatal solution, it is important to watch the respiration/gill movements once the fish turns on its side.

The fish should not be removed from the solution until at least ten minutes after the last observed movements.

Tricanie-S, also known as Finquel, is our preferred method for euthanizing a fish. With Tricanie-S the fish should fall asleep peacefully.

The three other acceptable methods include clove oil, baking soda and Alka Seltzer. Please note that these methods may be irritating and cause stress prior to death. You won't be able to find Tricanie-S in pet stores, so we recommend ordering it online to have it on hand for emergencies. [Editor’s note: available from amazon.com].

How to use Tricanie-S (Finquel) Use equal amounts of Tricanie-S and baking soda (to buffer the solution as Tricanie-S can make the water acidic). Mix 1/2 teaspoon of Tricanie-S and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda per gallon of dechlorinated water in the container and then add the fish. If the fish is still moving around after 10 minutes you can add another 1/2 teaspoon of Tricanie-S and and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda pre-dissolved in some water from the container.

Alternative acceptable methods Oil Of Clove Add 12 drops of Oil of Clove per gallon of dechlorinated water. You may want to emulsify the clove oil by placing it in a smaller amount of water in a glass jar; shake well. Place an airstone on the highest setting in the water to help keep the clove oil in solution. Add the clove oil solution.

Baking Soda When dosed properly, baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) causes rapid loss of consciousness and death by increasing carbon dioxide in the water. Mix 3 tablespoons of baking soda into each quart of water and then pour into the holding container.

Alka-Seltzer Alka-Seltzer can be also be used to produce carbon dioxide in the water and induce loss of consciousness and death. Use 1 tablet for 5 gallons or 2 tablets for 10 gallons of dechlorinated water and then add the fish to the solution.

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Mid Atlantic Pond Life

Issue No. 5, August 2016

Upcoming Events Hudson Valley Chapter August 21: 3-5 pm - John & Jan Remington home, Saugerties - Jennifer Hauer will speak about recognizing disease and illness in your fish.

Central Chapter August 21: Meeting in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Barry Hixson.

Sept. 18: -3-5 pm - Betsy Moore and Jim Pellicone home, Kingston - The Cary Institute will talk about invasive plants and fish.

Oct. 16: - Henry and Cherie Rua home, Saugerties – Focus on closing ponds for the season.

Nov. 2016: No meeting but the Event/Program committee is researching possible day trips. Stay tuned.

Dec. 18: Holiday dinner at an outside venue tbd. Watch this space.

Tell Us What You Think This is YOUR newsletter. One key goal is to provide a forum for everyone in the MAKC community to express themselves. Let us know what you think about our articles or any issue concerning MAKC. We want to publish your comments, letters or suggestions. Send them to Ken Dreyfack or Paul Tomasko at pondlifenewsletter@gmail.com.

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The MAKC will be at the Aki Matsuri Autumn Festival, Bonsai & Beyond, Celebrating Japanese Plants and Culture, at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington DC. It will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016 from 10 am to 4 pm. A few years ago the MAKC helped clean up the koi pond at the administration building. After five years of repairs and renovation, the work is due for completion this summer. The MAKC will have a table at the festival where we will be able to promote the club.

Hudson Valley chapter members: Check out the chapter’s Facebook page. Peggy & Frank were the first members to be featured, followed by the Remington’s. You could be next.

Contact Cheryl Benken at cherylbenken@icloud.com https://www.facebook.com/hvkoiclub/