Simply Koi and More Koi

Hello all
You know when there is something not quite right with your koi , particularly the behavior of one koi in particular. Well after taking several scrapes from several koi. I still had found nothing and was wondering whether I was doing it right. I eventully was about to give up and just plug for flukes( that was what the symptoms looked like). After talking to Duncan I decided to keep trying and eventually carried out a couple of gill biopsies and Hey presto. there they were, Gill flukes now we definitely know what we are dealing with. So a big thankyou to Duncan for keeping me going like he said. If they are there, they are there to be found.
Best Regards DaveB

Hi Dave,

There you go mate if we look we will find

Similar problem with mine.Scraped several -nothing found.

How is a gill biopsy conducted DaveB, Gazza...I do not have Duncan`s book currently...on loan
It suggests to me that it is tricky.

kingfisher

Kingfisher
The way I did it was Spin the koi around several times to dis orientate the koi, then turn the koi upside down, holding with one hand and arm ( large koi)allow gill plates to naturally open and using a pair of blunt end sissors and cut away a very small piece (1mm)of gill lamilie.It was necessary to hold the gill plate open with my thumb whilst I carried this out but might not be necessary.Also I used a small amount of anaesthetic to calm the koi but again might not be needed, as I understand some anaethetics will shed parasites.
I think I did a search on youtube where you can see the above procedure carried out. Good luck and hope you find what you are looking for
Best REgards Dave

DaveB

Excellent advice, thank you. Will give that a go & look up Youtube.
Much appreciated.

kingfisher.

Hi Dave,

Well done mate and how are the fish now ?

Gazza, I am not sure if I am out of the woods yet. There maybe other issues afoot. All the koi are going mad for food and look healthy enough except for one the shiro which I found the flukes on. Although she is swiming normally she looks a bit stressed and looks to be pregnant and is occationally being chased by one or two males. Perhaps it is this, together with being clattered with chemicals(P.P., C.T and Flubenol). over the past weeks, as I can,t find anything when doing another scrape that is causing this stress. She is still eating ok so at the mo I am just keeping an eye on things and see what developes. Any ideas would be appreciated. Best Regards Dave

Hi Dave,

Perhaps she is still a bit stressed and being chased around wont help but with a bit of luck it will settle down although the warm weather does make em a bit frisky

I had a couple of girls who had a rough time through winter and i had to treat their sides after pulling scales and bugger me as soon as i put them back in the pond they literally come round from the anesthetic and they was getting pushed round by a couple of males just on the areas that had been treated

Its called koi sods law i think as if it can go wrong it generally will............thats koi keeping

Gazza Thanks mate I have seen a bit of an improvement so hopefully I can now relax and enjoy the rest of the summer. Here is a photo of her swimming around and without be hassled by the males.