Precautions to avoiding diseases, viruses and parasites

There are many more diseases, viruses and parasites, which if the proprietary treatments have no effect against then the fish are best humanely disposed of.

Some 'untreatable ailments' can be rectified with antibiotics and drugs that are only available on prescription from vets. These must be administered exactly according to instruction after an expert and qualified diagnosis. This is generally a last resort that only the keen Koi Carp keeper is most disposed to. In fact many of the above complaints rarely infect or affect your run of-the-mill goldfish.

Precautions to avoiding diseases

1. Cleanliness and water quality and no overcrowding - (see above: Fish Problems)

Diseases thrive in water of poor quality. The stress on the fish caused by the poor water quality reduces their natural immunity.

2. Buy fish only from a reputable dealer at the right time of year.

3. Quarantine your new acquisitions for at least 10days in specially prepared small pool where they can be well catered for.

4. Handle with care.

5. Feed good quality food only when the water temperature is above 8c and only what they will eat in 5 minutes.

6. Remove dead and dying fish as soon as they are spotted.

OTHER FISH PROBLEMS THAT ARE NOT LIFE THREATENING

Twisted spine. Bent fish.

CAUSE. Electric shocks (i.e. lightening), fright, stress, or overdoses of medication.

No Treatment.

Swim bladder infections: Some ornamentals are prone to these. They never become life threatening but leave them forever swimming like a bloated frogman with a life jacket on.

Lighting

They say that lightning never strikes the same place twice. Well if the there is something to attract it and conditions are right, then it certainly will. Fish death from lightning strikes is more common than is very often supposed. A large pool filled with warm soft water is more prone to a strike from lightning than one that has water of a high pH or even a certain amount of salinity or at least the fish will be more prone to electrocution. In low hardness waters the current is from the lightning strike takes the easiest path through the fish. In high pH waters the current travels around the fish.

Surviving fish often can be seen with bent spines or some other skeletal deformation, which stays with them all their lives; dead fish are often remarkably floppy, both symptoms being a clue to the cause of the disaster.

The prevention of it ever happening again is to ensure that there is something close by that the lightning is more attracted to. A lightning rod of some sort on the nearest building should suffice.