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  • Results 1 to 11 of 11

    Thread: Spawning Sores that hasn't Healed Yet

    1. #1
      WLcreations is offline Senior Member
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      Spawning Sores that hasn't Healed Yet

      Hi, I have a koi with a pink sore under its scale after spawning and another that lost some scales. It has been several weeks and they haven't healed completely and the temperature suddenly dropped in the last few days to 30/40F. I've never had this problem before but read that Melafix treats bacteria and can help heal wounds. Should I buy it and add it to the pond? Would it hurt the good bacteria in filters? Or are there any other suggestions on what I can do?

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    2. #2
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      A big NO on the Melafix. All it does is make the water smell good to people; it's an irritant to koi gills and certainly to any open wounds.

      More info about your pond and koi would be helpful.

      Ideal solution: transfer the two koi to a filtered quarantine tank that you can heat and medicate. Many in your area put kiddie pools in their garages or basements. If you want to do this, let us know and we can walk you through what you will need.

      If that is not a possibility, your second best option is to do frequent (2-3x/week) water changes, cleaning your filters each time, throughout the winter months. Clean water is the most important thing for healing. Heat is the other important thing; you really can't expect any healing to take place over the winter because their metabolic rate just won't support that.
      Mary

    3. #3
      WLcreations is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by graybird View Post
      A big NO on the Melafix. All it does is make the water smell good to people; it's an irritant to koi gills and certainly to any open wounds.

      More info about your pond and koi would be helpful.

      Ideal solution: transfer the two koi to a filtered quarantine tank that you can heat and medicate. Many in your area put kiddie pools in their garages or basements. If you want to do this, let us know and we can walk you through what you will need.

      If that is not a possibility, your second best option is to do frequent (2-3x/week) water changes, cleaning your filters each time, throughout the winter months. Clean water is the most important thing for healing. Heat is the other important thing; you really can't expect any healing to take place over the winter because their metabolic rate just won't support that.
      Thanks! The pond is 600gallons, 3 ft deep with a shower filter. We've had it (and the koi) for 20 yrs. I don't have a basement setup so I'll try the water changes but are there any concerns with doing frequent water changes when it is cold?

    4. #4
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      Maybe someone from the Midwest or Northeast can weigh in on the water changes; do you heat the pond in winter?
      Mary

    5. #5
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      As temperatures fall, it will become increasingly difficult to keep a hose from freezing which will render it useless for performing water changes. As far as being able to make changes in the cold weather, the layer of ice over the pond will allow water to be added without significant changes in the water temperature. The tap water should be warmer than the pond water but the ice will quickly absorb any additional heat.

      A much better approach would be to make a lean-to over the pond using 2X4's and 6 mil poly sheeting which you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. If one side is raised enough for you to enter, you can enjoy your fish all winter in a pond that has much warmer water than it will have without the cover. The cover allows for some build up of solar heat, reduces evaporation which is a major cause of cooling, and provides a warm air buffer between the warmer water and the cold atmosphere. In the area of the poly sheeting you can find adhesive zippers which can be placed on the poly and then the opening can be cut to allow ready access.
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    6. #6
      WLcreations is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by RichToyBox View Post
      As temperatures fall, it will become increasingly difficult to keep a hose from freezing which will render it useless for performing water changes. As far as being able to make changes in the cold weather, the layer of ice over the pond will allow water to be added without significant changes in the water temperature. The tap water should be warmer than the pond water but the ice will quickly absorb any additional heat.

      A much better approach would be to make a lean-to over the pond using 2X4's and 6 mil poly sheeting which you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes. If one side is raised enough for you to enter, you can enjoy your fish all winter in a pond that has much warmer water than it will have without the cover. The cover allows for some build up of solar heat, reduces evaporation which is a major cause of cooling, and provides a warm air buffer between the warmer water and the cold atmosphere. In the area of the poly sheeting you can find adhesive zippers which can be placed on the poly and then the opening can be cut to allow ready access.
      Thank you so much! I have a pond cover that fits snuggly over the pond edge (I wont be able to enter) but, just as you described, it has kept my pond from freezing all these years. But I haven't had to change water frequently in past winters, if I have to do that, is there anything else I can do to help trap in more heat? I'm particularly worried about my shower filter because I had to move it to a new location this year where it is now out in the open (before it was in an enclosure that needs to be reconstructed). I wrapped the shower filter with two layers of clear plastic sheets but I'm not sure how much that would help? Would it be a good idea to added a dark piece of tarp over it, assuming the color would absorb more heat?

    7. #7
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      Having all of the water protected from the elements would be the only thing that I would say is needed. On days when you can get water through the hose, do a water change, like you would in the summer. The water coming in will not be that much different than the water in the pond, so temperature changes will be minimal, and fresh water is always good.
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      Richard

    8. #8
      WLcreations is offline Senior Member
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      Thanks again! I just changed the water again today and will try to get a few more in before it gets too cold.

      May I ask just for reference had the weather been warmer, what medicatios should I use for sores since Melafix is not a good option?
      Last edited by WLcreations; 11-11-2019 at 11:29 AM.

    9. #9
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      For a wound of the type that you describe, it could have been potentially helped by removing the affected scale and treating by sedating with clove oil and then swabbing with peroxide or iodine followed with Tricide Neo or triple antibiotic ointment. I don't know that I would have put the fish through the treatment, unless it showed much redder signs of infection.
      Zone 7 A/B
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      Richard

    10. #10
      WLcreations is offline Senior Member
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      Quote Originally Posted by RichToyBox View Post
      For a wound of the type that you describe, it could have been potentially helped by removing the affected scale and treating by sedating with clove oil and then swabbing with peroxide or iodine followed with Tricide Neo or triple antibiotic ointment. I don't know that I would have put the fish through the treatment, unless it showed much redder signs of infection.
      Got it, thank you! So it sounds like any kind of "water treatments" wouldn't be recommended for sores/scale lost of this type.
      Last edited by WLcreations; 11-11-2019 at 08:03 PM.

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    11. #11
      richtoybox's Avatar
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      I wouldn't have treated minor scratches and scrapes any more than I do for me.
      Zone 7 A/B
      Keep your words sweet. You never know when you may have to eat them.
      Richard

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