Funky Koi

Quality Pond and Water Garden Supplies in Massachusetts

You are here: Home / Archives for Tips and Tricks

Tips and Tricks

Do you notice your fish are inactive and not eating during hot weather?

By

Do you notice your fish are inactive and not eating during hot weather?

Be sure to aerate your pond with an aeration system. Water falls, water circulation pumps and spitters do not offer as much oxygen as aeration pumps.
Warm water cannot hold enough dissolved oxygen and fish will suffer. You may notice they are at the top of the surface gulping for air (this is called piping) or at the waterfall so the water can pass by their gills. They are not playing. They are suffering.

Aeration pumps with appropriately placed air diffusers move the cooler water at the bottom of the pond upwards. While this may help cool the top of the water surface, the biggest benefit is it increases dissolved oxygen needed for fish (especially larger fish)

It is time to change fish foods when water temp is over 80 degrees.
If your water temperature reaches 80 degrees, switch from high protein food to low protein wheat germ food. This will help reduce the biological load on your filtration and reduce problems with water chemistry.

Stop Feeding when Water Temp is over 86 degrees.
If your water temperature 86 degrees or higher, stop feeding your fish. They’ll be fine. Start feeding after water temps drop below 85 degrees.

FEEDING DIRECTIONS
Regularly monitor your water temperature and adjust the amount and frequency of your feedings based on this temperature, the water condition, number and size of fish and their activity level. Avoid over-feeding and always remove any uneaten food remaining after the feeding period.

Chilodonella infections in pond fish

By

In the spring you may notice one or several fish do not look well.  They are lying on their side and are very lethargic.   This usually occurs when the water temperature is between 40 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

One common cause is due to a microscopic protozoan parasite known as Chilodonella.

Chilodonella infections are not affected by changes of water temperature, so there is no need to heat the water or move the fish but it is necessary to treat the water and fish to rid the parasite.

What are the symptoms? 

  • Fins will be clamped or folded.
  • Fish will act itchy or they will be flashing.
  • Fish will be lethargic and lean over on their sides at the bottom of the pond but will quickly turn upright and move quickly when startled.
  • Labored breathing is often observed.
  • Excessive mucous production is typically seen (body will look cloudy).

If you observe this behavior–then it is possible that your fish is infected with Chilodonella parasite.

Chilodonella attaches to the skin, gills or fins and will puncture the fish making way for bacterial infections.  These bacteria are Aeromonas hydrophilla and Psudomonas, which grow very fast when water temperature is between 42 and 62 degrees Fahrenheit.  Bacteria will enter puncture wounds in the fish causing infections (ulcers, fin rot) which can be difficult to treat.

How can this be prevented?  Keep it clean!  Often parasites find their way into your pond by mother nature.  We can also introduce risk by adding “new” untreated plants and fish or when wild birds use your waterfall as a bird bath.

To keep your pond parasite free, you need to keep your water clean.  Use very good mechanical filtration, perform periodic filter maintenance and weekly water changes.  Treat the water, periodically with products designed to kill parasites.

If maintenance is not performed, eventually you will need to clean the pond and use products to clear your water and destroy parasites.

Keep your fish healthy during feeding season! Use high quality, vitamin rich koi food.  Read the label!  All koi foods are not created equally!

What is the right treatment? There are several treatment options on the market.

Some treatment options are CystalClear KnockOut Plus,  Microbe-Lift Defend, Microbe-Lift Parazoryne,  Seachem Pond Health Guard, ABI Ultra Clear Potassium Permanganate Solution.

Remember NO treatments are risk-free! 

We have personally used and stock all of these products (and others) and will be happy to assist you with selecting the product that is best for you to use.

Spring Time and Ponds

By

Spring Time and your Pond

By now, most pond owners in North America, are experiencing spring temperatures.  The ice on the pond is melting and now we can see our fish.

How did your fish do over the winter?   Unfortunately, many of us (we are one of those people) do experience loss of fish.   Sometimes these fish weren’t that healthy last fall and they failed to survive the winter.  Other times, predators are returning and are taking advantage of easy food source since the ponds are not covered with ice or plant life.

Nets are one solution to that problem—it works for many people, including us.  But this year, the net we suspend over the pond was removed and is sitting someplace under the snow.

This week, we had our first visit of a Great Blue Heron.   It sat patiently, picking off the small goldfish in our small pond—now covered to protect them.   It also sat very patiently on the skimmer inlet where the small fish hang out (near the pond heater).    We threw a net over that spot and also used Black pond dye to help hide the fish in the pond.

There are several Osprey and Heron tracking websites you can Google to tell if these migratory birds are in your area.    Heron certainly are in Massachusetts and I suspect the Osprey are not too far behind them.

Pond Netting and Pond Dyes:

So my pond friends, keep an eye on your pond and use Pond Netting and Pond Dye whenever possible to protect your pond fish this spring!

Good Tips to control Algae from Microbe-Lift

By

Good Tips to control Algae from Microbe-Lift

Remember, algae is the symptom, not the problem. One of the best preventative measures is to monitor stocking density and under-stock the pond. The next would be to watch water temperatures and temper your feeding when the weather is warm. If the water is above 80F, switch to wheat germ, slow down with feeding at 85F, and at 90F, stop altogether. Feed a good quality food and do not overfeed at any time. Water changes and a clean pond will limit nutrient content (=less algae food). You can add plants to take up nutrients, also. The type of plants and how many, will depend upon how many fish and the filtration on your pond. Maintain the pond well and you will have fewer algae blooms to deal with. If possible, shade the pond from afternoon sun. Use Microbe-Lift/PL and Sludge Away to keep any detritus from building up in the bottom. Or you can vacuum fastidiously! Removing algae manually will allow you to remove nutrients from the pond as opposed to killing it in the pond, which releases nutrients back into the water. ML/Barley Pellets and Barley Straw Concentrated Extract work as preventative products to help control nutrients.

Brown Blood Disease – Nitrite Poisoning

By

Have you lost fish in your pond or aquarium?  If yes,  it may be due to Nitrite Poisoning.  Nitrite Poisoning includes symptoms such as ‘piping’ or gasping at the surface, listlessness, and rapid gill movement.   When the fish dies, its gills will be flared and you may notice dark brown or blackened patches under its skin.   Nitrite Poisoning or toxicity in fish is referred to “Brown Blood Disease”.

When you suspect Nitrite Poisoning, is killing your fish, perform a 50-75% water change and perform a thorough tank / filter media maintenance.  For long term fish care, perform weekly water changes, monitor water chemistry and change filter media as directed.