JBL Pond Fish Diseases

: Aquarium Jbl-Pond-Fish-Diseases JBL-Pond-Fish-Diseases s

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Causes

Diagnosis

Treatment

 Objects (parasites) on the body

and fins

 Ulcers, open wounds on the

body

 Fins rot away

 Bulging eyes

 Bloated or emaciated body

 Fungal infections on the skin

and fins

 Frayed mouth, rot

Pond fish

diseases

JBL

Which type of problem do your

pond fish show signs of?

 Objects (parasites) on the body and fins (Page 4 - 6)

 Ulcers, open wounds on the body (Page 7 – 9)

 Fins rot away (Page 6 – 7)

 Bulging eyes (Page 9)

 Bloated or emaciated body (Page 11 – 12)

 Fungal infections on the skin and fins (Page 6)

 Frayed mouth, rot (Page 6)

Page 7

Page 7

Page 8 Page 9Page 9

Ulcers, open wounds on the body

Frayed mouth,

rot Bulging eyes

Page 6 Page 9

Bloated or emaciated body

Page 11 Page 12 Page 12 Page 12

Page 7 Page 6

Fins rot away

Fungal infections on the skin

and fins

Page 6 Page 6

Page 5 Page 4 Page 5 Page 4

Page 6

Objects (parasites) on the body and fins

Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

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Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

5

Parasites:

A: : Spot disease, scientific term: Ichthyoph-

thirius multifiliis, also known as white spot,

ichthyo or white spot disease.

This is a parasite from the ciliate group which can

be quickly and successfully eliminated with JBL

MedoPond. This parasite has a life-cycle which

includes several stages at which the parasite

cannot be eliminated. Successful elimination is

only possible in the free-swimming “swarming”

stage. Treatment must therefore be carried out

over a period of a week and

should be rounded off

with JBL AccliPond to

build up the damaged

mucous membrane of

the fish and provide

long-term protection.

Can be mistaken for:

- Spawning rash

B: Fish leech, Hirudinea, Piscicola geometra

The leeches, up to 5 cm long, attach themselves

to the skin of the fish, suck blood and subse-

quently cause bacterial or fungal infections.

Leeches cannot be combated with conventional

medication. Even prescription medicines do not

destroy leech eggs. Mechani-

cally removing the eggs with

tweezers is one possibility. The

water should then be treated

with JBL FuraPond against a

probable bacterial secondary

infection.

Alternatively the fish can be

bathed in a 2 to 3 % solution

of sodium chloride (cooking

salt) for a few minutes. This

will detach the leeches from

the fish. Follow-up treatment to

prevent a bacterial infection is

recommended.

C: Lernaea, Anchor worm, Copepodes

Although this 20 mm long parasite is called a

“worm“ it belongs to the crustacea family. In the

young stages, this parasite can survive for about

5 days without a host. Treatment with

JBL ArguPond is fast and highly

effective. To follow up, the application

of an anti-bacterial medication such

as JBL FuraPond is recommended

to prevent bacterial infection of the

„wound“. Infection with Lernaea

crustacean weakens the host fish and

involves a danger of a fungal or bacterial infection.

D: Carp louse, Argulus

Argulus, the carp louse, can be easily identified

on the infected fish. The parasite can grow up to

one centimeter long with a flat, round body. The

carp louse is one of the approx. 70 species of fish

louse (Brachiura) which are parasitic. They tunnel

into the fish to suck blood. The puncture wound

can become inflamed and infected. Fish

which are heavily infected may become

emaciated. At night the fish can often be

observed leaping.

Vitamin supplements should be given in

autumn in order that the fish can store en-

ergy reserves for the winter. Fish never stop

eating – they just eat less in winter! When

selecting food, the fact that metabolism is

slower in the cold season should be taken

into account and special low-temperature

food such as JBL PondEnergil should be

given.

Treatment: JBL ArguPond was specially de-

veloped to combat carp louse and lernaea. Bath-

ing in cooking salt or potassium permanganate

both have practically no effect. Carp louse may

also be removed from the fish using tweezers.

As a follow-up, the use of an anti-bacterial medi-

cation such as JBL FuraPond is recommended to

prevent any bacterial infection of the „wound“.



Spawning rash

Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

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Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

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Fungal infections:

Fungal infections are easily identified on fish

by the cotton wool-like growths. Fungal infec-

tions can be easily and successfully treated with

JBL MedoPond It is important that treatment is

started promptly, as the fungus releases toxic

metabolic substances into the organism of the

fish. This toxic contamination is actually the main

problem. The fish is able to regenerate, repairing

the destruction of the skin

and surrounding tissues in

the course of healing. Often

the visible fungal infection

is a secondary one. The

primary infection may be

of a bacterial nature, for example. So combina-

tion treatment is recommended: JBL FuraPond

against the primary bacterial infection, rounded

off with JBL AccliPond to build up the damaged

mucous membrane of the fish and provide long-

term protection.

Can be mistaken for:

- Mouth rot

combat the disease, it is not only necessary to

administer the correct remedy, but also to improve

the water values. The most important values

which need to be corrected are:

carbonate hardness (CH), pH

(pH level), ammonium (NH4) /

ammonia (NH3) and nitrite (NO2).

Information on these water

values and instructions on how to

improve them can be found in the

JBL Online Laboratory (www.

jbl.de )

Can be mistaken for:

- Fungal infection

Open sores, ulcers etc.

A: Bacterial infections

Internal and external bacterial infections can

show a wide range of symptoms which can be

combated very quickly and successfully with JBL

Fura-Pond. Often a whitish coating is visible on

the skin, or bloodshot patches or completely

different symptoms may occur. A clear diagnosis

can practically only be made with a microscope.

The initial assumption is often a parasitic infec-

tion, a suitable remedy such as JBL MedoPond

is selected and, if no improvement appears,

treatment is continued with JBL FuraPond

against bacterial infections, rounded off with

JBL AccliPond to build up the damaged mucous

membrane of the fish and provide long-term

protection.

B: Spring viraemia, SVC / Viraemia / Erythro-

dermatitis

These are virus infections of fish (particularly in

carp species, such as koi). The trigger is a virus

Mouth and fin rot:

These two infections can be identified by the

fraying, rotting away and later the complete loss

of the part of the body affected by this extremely

disfiguring disease. The disease can be quickly

halted by the application of JBL FuraPond and

the fish is able to fully regenerate the parts of

the body infected. In order to build up sufficient

energy reserves, we recommend giving the fish

JBL KoiVitol twice a week on the food.

Mouth and fin rot are caused by

problems in the quality of the

water, even if the pathogen is a

bacteria. The bacteria from the

aeromonas and pseudomonas

group which are responsible for

this infection increase dramatically

in the pond if the water quality

is poor. In order to permanently

Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

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Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

9

called Rhabdovirus carpio (RNS virus). The disease

occurs mostly in spring in ponds with water tem-

peratures between 10 and 20 °C. The symptoms

are: bloodshot areas of skin (at the base of the

fins), apathetic behavior and distended abdo-

mens. Fish which survive the disease can remain

carriers of the illness for life, without displaying

any symptoms themselves. At present, direct

treatment with medication is not possible. It is

important that the conditions under which the fish

are kept are improved. Adding vitamins to the food

with JBL KoiVitol is very beneficial and treatment

should be rounded off with JBL AccliPond to

build up the damaged mucous membrane of the

fish and provide long-term protection.

Increasing the temperature of the water to 20 °C

is also reported to be of benefit (Dr. Sandra Lech-

leiter: Krankheiten der Koi, DATZ Aquarienbücher).

C: Ulcerous growths on the body, skin ulcers

Ulcers and open sores on the body of the fish are

triggered by bacteria which are always latent in

the water or in the body of the fish. Under suitable

conditions, these can explode in number, leading

to problems. An anti-bacterial remedy such as

JBL FuraPond is extremely effective against

the bacteria, but not against the cause. It is vital

that the causes are identified: water pollution,

fish stocking, planting, food and oxygen content

should all be checked.

In the garden pond these problems often occur

D: Koi herpes virus, KHV, Koi pox

Often occurs in summer, even amongst fish kept

under the best conditions, and is highly conta-

gious. It is caused by a virus which only multiplies

at temperatures above 10 and below 30°C and

which only affects koi. The fish exhibit serious

changes in their mucous membrane and die

within a few days. The gills show clear signs of

necrosis (whitening and decay). As a result, the

fish rise to the surface of the water and gasp for

“air”. Sunken eyes are often observed. There is no

effective method of treatment. Any surviving fish

remain carriers of the virus for the rest of their

lives and are therefore infectious.

Popeyes , Exopthalmus:

One or both of the eyes protrude unnaturally from

the head. The reasons for this clearly identifi-

able disease can be many. In most cases, the

disease is due to deterioration in the water

quality. Checking the pH, KH,

ammonium, nitrite and nitrate

is urgently recommended. It

has also been observed that

vitamin deficiency can lead to

protruding eyes. Please check whether the fish

are getting a varied diet and whether open cans of

food are used up within a maximum of 3 months.

Hardly any vitamins remain in a can of food 3

months after being opened. Vitamin supplements

should be added to the food with JBL KoiVitol.

If only one single fish is affected, it may be a

bacterial infection. In this case, prompt treat-

ment with JBL FuraPond is necessary to combat

the disease and prevent it spreading further.

Unfortunately it could also be an incurable fish

tuberculosis.

in spring. Increasing temperatures coupled with

increasing activity in the fish and a lack of energy

reserves often lead to an outbreak of the disease.

Help and prevention is very simple: as soon as

the fish start feeding again after the winter rest,

the correct low-temperature food should be given

(JBL Pond Energil). A weekly supplement of JBL

KoiVitol provides the fish

with the restorative vitamins

required to prevent an out-

break of the disease.

Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

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Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

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Poisoning, water problems:

A: Oxygen deficiency

Fish breathing heavily at the surface of the water

may be a sign of a lack of oxygen or symptoms

of poisoning. Many pond owners mistakenly

believe that the fish are gasping for air. This is not

correct. The fish are snapping at the thin layer

of water directly under the surface because this

layer has the highest oxygen

content. Using an oxygen test

(JBL O2-Test) you can quickly

and simply establish whether

there is an oxygen problem. In-

creased breathing activity can be

observed in most fish only when

the oxygen content drops below

4 mg/l. Help is relatively simple.

The oxygen level can be raised

within a few hours using an aerating pump and

airstones (JBL PondOxi-Set). The oxygen level

can also be raised

with the aid of the

water flowback

from the filter. As

a basic principle:

the stronger the

movement at the

surface of the

water, the more

oxygen can be

absorbed by the water. At the same time, the

warmer the water, the less oxygen that can be

absorbed.

Identifying why the oxygen level is so low is more

difficult. Dead organisms (fish, algae, plants) use

up large quantities of oxygen when they are bro-

ken down by bacteria. Measures to combat algae

often lead to rapidly decreasing oxygen levels,

which have to be counteracted.

B: Metal poisoning

As a basic principle, pond water is no place

for metal! Many metals release free metal ions

(charged particles) into the water which act as a

poison to invertebrates, fish and microorganisms.

The more acidic the water (pH-level below 7) the

higher the percentage of soluble metal ions in

the water. An extreme situation occurs with (acid)

rain, when the rainwater is collected from roofs

and is used: the low pH level of the rainwater

dissolves large amounts of copper ions from the

drainpipes, which often

contain copper, which can

then lead to symptoms of

copper poisoning.

Using a good water con-

ditioner (JBL CondiPond)

binds (chelates) the metal

ions. The water should be

changed when symptoms

of poisoning are observed.

Care should be taken with

mains water: lead, copper

or zinc (from the pipes) is

often to be found in mains

water. Therefore it

is important

to use a good

water conditioner when

changing the water. The use of

warm water boilers can also be a

problem if there is metal piping.

C: Nitrite poisoning

External symptoms are similar to those of oxygen

deficiency, with rapid breathing, vigorous gill

movements and hanging around at the surface

of the water. Rubbing is also a frequent symp-

tom! The reason is the toxicity of the nitrite (NO2)

(measured using a JBL Nitrite Test Set) which

leads to the fish suffocating internally. It blocks

the transport of oxygen in the blood. Nitrite levels

above 0.1 mg/ l are critical

and should be corrected.

The reasons for increased

nitrite levels are: an imbal-

ance in the bacteria in the

aquarium due to bactericide

medications, very low or high pH levels (below 6

or over 8), over-stocking with

fish, insufficient filter capacity

or overfeeding.

Remedy: Immediately change

1/3 water, never at the same

time as cleaning the filter, but

not until a week later (add

JBL ActivoPond), add JBL

BactoPond (nitrite eliminating

bacteria) to the water.

Nutritional problems:

A: “Head-stands”

This head-down position often occurs in goldfish,

fan-tails and other varieties of goldfish for the fol-

lowing reason: when feeding at the surface of the

water they often swallow air, causing their body

to float upwards. Since this is not an illness, it is

sufficient to feed the fish sinking food e.g. JBL

GoldPearls. The fish should not be fed floating

food!

B: Vitamin deficiency

It is not only people who struggle with this

problem. In the case of fish, the greatest risk is

that they are fed with only one sort of food for a

long period or that the food has been open for a

long time and the vitamin content has shrunk to

zero. Please check whether the fish are receiving

an adequate diet and whether open food cans are

used up within a max. of 3 months. Hardly any

vitamins remain in a can of food 3 months after

being opened. Vitamin supplements should be

added to the food with JBL KoiVitol.

There is no objection to additional feeding with

vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber or peas.

Pond fish diseases | Causes ∙ Diagnosis ∙ Treatment

12

Feeding this “unaccustomed” food too often is

not recommended as deficiency symptoms will

eventually appear. It has been proved that algae

and aquatic plants have a different composition to

garden vegetables which are therefore unsuit-

able as long-term food for fish. Gardens are not

the natural habitat of fish!

C: Over- or under-feeding

Feeding fish is often so much fun that it is done

to excess. Unlike humans, fish continue to feed

even though they have actually had enough food.

Regular overfeeding leads to an accumulation of

fat, recognisable by corpulence. The distended

body is often mistakenly diagnosed as dropsy

(which is incurable). Incorrect feeding can also

cause the same problems. Goldfish and koi are

not predators and therefore require the correct

food for their species. Cheap food and large packs

from non-specialist retailers often contain food for

trout farms. This food is cheap, but is designed to

fatten trout (= predators) quickly. Fed to pond fish,

it results in fatty livers and death! JBL Koi mini,

midi and maxi have been designed to meet the

specific needs of koi at different stages of life and

contain the optimum protein-

fat ratio of

4:1. Varieties

of sturgeon require special

sturgeon food such as JBL Pond Sterlet.

Pond fish can starve in some

circumstances. Particularly

in spring and autumn when

temperatures are still low, owners

are often incorrectly (!) advised not

to feed the fish. By feeding your

fish with the correct low-tem-

perature food (JBL Pond Energil)

you can give your fish the energy they

desperately need for the beginning of

the warmer season. Only give the fish

as much food as they can eat up in a

few minutes. It is better to feed small

amounts three times a day than a large

amount once a day!

This brochure has been given to you by your JBL partner:

JBL GmbH & Co. KG

67141 Neuhofen

Germany

www.JBL.de

9721110

Opened abdominal cavity from a Koi who has

suffered from a strong fatty degeneration (due to

inappropriate feed).