Well, taken another few scrapes today, still nothing. All is looking so much better.

The Seneye device is pretty good, keeping track of a few things. And monitoring it where I couldn’t. I.e after a feed. So, will see how that goes.

Thought I would share this with you all, so you can see how happy they really are. This was the first bit of food they’d really had in nearly 5 weeks.

Amazing still how much they are changing. My big orange and black one, has now turned orange and white. He has white fins, and an under-belly and white all over his face. Two of the others, half white and black also have white bellies too.

Some are a little on the small side now. So I do need to watch my water and when I can get some weight back on them.

Let me know what you think.

Video is at….

Costia survivors – YouTube

thanks everyone for your very valuable help. Would never have got this far without you. ‘hugs’

Hey there,

Ct went in this morning at 5-6am, then had a really crappy day at work where my van broke down, so i got to finish early. PP is prepared and going in now.

I must admit, that after the Ct most of the other fish are looking happier. So with some luck costia will be gone.

I’m doing the 2g per tonne. Prob just a bit over because the Qt is 800g and I’m going with 4g.

Keep them in your thoughts. Once the pp is in, I am going to leave it. I have to, I just hope that no one suffers too much.

3.00pm

Well 4g in and brown already so popping in another 2g. Think this is a residual effect of the Hp, even with two good water changes.

Will keep you posted.

4.31pm

Adding in the rest, a little slower than others I guess, but fingers crossed everything is going to be okay.

First time I have been able to actually get a better look at some of these babies that are left, although some are very pink. (not just the pp) there are a few with knocks and bumps.

Will see how they’re doing in a little while, but they’re not liking this last bit…. guess it is taking out the 02 that they like. Adding more air and fingers crossed, got to see this one through either way.

5.08pm

They are swimming around a lot more, not huddled on the bottom. It has been nice to see them. And yeah I keep adding little bits to keep it purple. At present 9g in, with some more curing away just in case. But this bit has stayed the longest, so holding out till 7pm and we’ll see where we’re at.

Thanks for the messages its nice when people show they’re thinking of you and your fish in troubling times.

9.16pm

Treatment done and neutralized.

All seems okay.

Will test water in the morning and prob do a water change, then plan is to dose after each change with CT for the evening.

Might have to re-scrape and see where we’re at over the weekend.

Thanks to Al, DaveJ and Gazza, for their excellent advice.

6.07.12

6.15pm

They are indeed nasty things.

Doing a small water change this morning, before work. Paul will do one as well later and then going to add the ct.

Just trying to keep the tank as clean and good as possible.

Will add Ct later. and keep hoping.

They look much better.

7.07.12

6.56pm

Thanks for the follow.

Well I’ve scraped three babies from the tank today and nothing, which is hopeful. It could be they are all dead, or there could still be a couple lurking on the weaker fish. So I am going to recheck tomorrow, then we’ll see how it goes from there.

But it is looking promising. Fingers crossed.

There are a few with sores and bumps etc, so a course of CT should help with that.

Will report again soon and thanks for asking.

8.07.12

11.10am

Thanks everyone.

Took three more scrapes today, one from a very poorly fish.

I am going to post the picture, because even though it is awful. I think the more people learn the better.

This little guy had two costia still on him. I also decided to put him to sleep. It didn’t look too bad this morning, it was just like a big scab, but I guess the scab came away. And it just wasn’t fair on him, lovely fish.

I am heartbroken at this parasite. I never wanted it, had all the others, and wish I never had this one. How on earth can a parasite come from no where? Just spring up in a totally secluded tank. Beats me. I’ve a lot still to learn but this has been the hardest lesson.

Ct course starting today and that should finish off the one or two bugs left.
Attached Thumbnails
costia-defo-sick-fish.jpg

9.07.12

8.09am

So, all is brighter today, still a tiny bit of sulking, but for the most part, they’re all swimming about, some looking for food and sucking at the side of the tank.

I am hopeful, might see where we are at next weekend in regards to injuries. No point stressing them out anymore than I have to at the moment, will give them a week and let things settle. Hoping the Ct will clear up any other bacterial issues from knocks, but I’m watching the ones with sores as close as I can.

Easier on big fish, yes, but on about 10 individuals in a qt tank among 40 others, not so easy.

I hate to think how the big dude get on with it with thousands of newcomers in Qt…. must be even harder.

Keep you all posted. Thanks for stopping by.

9.07.12

5.07pm

Hey all,

feel like I’m talking to myself half the time

Oh well, CT went in, and everyone seems okay. The couple with sores, seem a lot less red. Keeping to the plan.

fingers crossed.

5.57pm

Aww, I know… I tend to ramble on me. thanks for that though….

And I agree, through the pitfalls of life we can only hope that somewhere along the way what we went through will help someone else, maybe a little quicker than what we went through ourselves.

I’ve always been one to be an open book. No point hiding things, chuck it out there… people can take you or leave you…

And Karma is a beautiful thing.

10.07.12

5.48am

Thanks Kev, I think if anyone can learn from this then yeah, much better to post about it.

Especially the sleeping sickness. Anyone who is breeding koi over here should know for sure.

This morning,

All looks a little better. Although I have seen one koi sulking his head in the corner and another still flicking. Is this because of the CT or do I need to investigate further?

Big fish looking at me begging for food…. love them.

Will test all water later and see where we’re at, just hoping the ammonia and nitrite is okay, or might have to do some small water changes later on.

4.33pm

2nd good day of Ct and all seems well. They all even came up begging for food when I opened the hatch bless, a couple more days and I might even be able to start feeding again. Touch wood… some do look a little skinny now, two weeks without food, when you’re used to 4 times a day must be quite a shock. Glad they had little fat bellies though or they may have starved.

I guess, I’ll see in a couple of days where we’re at, the couple of koi which had red sores, now only have pink ones. Not sure how long they might take to heal, but reluctant to catch them as of yet, trying to get a specific koi out of 50 is really hard.

Will also try and get one for a scrape in the next day or so, just to make sure there really are no more costia about.

Looking much better now though, and I’m off to see a therapist about my sore shoulder. (poss just build up of stress)

Catch you later.

11.07.12

I know, I know, no food. it is locked away.

All seems okay this morning, big guys fighting over each other to get to me and again babies must be feeling much better as they all came up too.

Will wait till weekend, have a trip out one day (Paul bought a baki shower for the big pond, yikes) so it will be either of them depends when I get a closer inspection of them.

Will keep you posted and as usual fingers crossed for them still

8.34pm

Hey there,

So everything seems better in the baby tank.

But…..

Not too happy with the big fish, they seem pretty off colour this evening, little bit of flashing going on

I pp’d their pond on Sat, couple of good water changes and just a tid bit of food, but tonight they’re just off. Not sullking, or anything, just off.

Think I will be checking all koi over the weekend.

I am happy to report that the ‘cloudy eye’ from my big girl. Sunny ( doitsu Kujaku) has cleared…. weird.

But year, think something is amiss.

As for the babies, last CT today, will check water tomorrow. They’re really active now. So will see where we’re at, before I try a tid bit of medicated food. Slow and easy.

Just hard when you’re constantly worrying ain’t it?

12.07.12

6.12am

All is well in the pond and tank. . .

Will check everything tonight and see where we’re at. Water quality that is.

Looks like it might be a nice day. Hope so, getting fed up of getting wet in my job too, then coming home and getting wet outside lol… not been a nice summer all around.

So looking forward to a break up in the lakes. (although might nip home half way) just to check, we’re only an hour away….

Catch you later.

8.16pm

Hey there,

So lost one sometime today, this was one of the ones I wasn’t sure would make it, but kinda hoped it would.

I guess the plan is to just scrape and see. All others are looking normal, (bar a couple of sores) coming up and alert as soon as you go near the tank. I am hoping there is nothing.

However, if there is. I would guess I have to pp again?

Will let you know how it goes sat.

13.07.12

5.32am

Oh dear.

Lost another one today. In close examination, it had lost most of its fins underneath. And although from the top looked okay, I guess it just wasn’t.

We’ve also had an epic heater fail today, temperature is down to 22d from 25d so although not massive but it is going down.

Just not happy losing any more. I hope we don’t.

fingers still crossed and hoping.

Will report tomorrow when I’ve done a few scrapes.

14.07.12

10.44am

Well today we took the polly tunnel off. side effect of using pp is it killed all the algae at the side of the ponds and has subsequently blocked the spray bar and pump up.

Fixed and back up and running.

Took scrapes from 4 fish, all but one had a little mucus, and happy to report they were all clean.

So, looks like a few bits to clear up, rubs and sores, which after the course of CT seem much better, all healing and not red anymore.

Done a pretty large water change, (my fault as while doing the scrapes I left the drain on) never anything perfect. So I’m going to half refill and then finish the rest during the week.

I’ve added a little bit of Sansai with the water change, it can’t hurt and should help boost their immune systems. I’ve also treated to a tiny little bit of food. Will watch the filters and see how I get on and I will probably still re-scrape prob wed just to see how they’re doing. I’d hate to go away and suddenly have a relapse with my mum on the other end of the phone saying more were dying.

Hopeful that we’ve completed most of the worst part, and fingers crossed for a full recovery.

15.07.12

8.22am

This morning, all seems good. Gave a tid bit of food as they were begging. Seems there is perhaps one or two that are a bit scatty, (one is black so can’t really tell its skin damage, and the other is white, bitty is the only way to describe that one) but no one is red anymore from rubbing. One of the larger ones is still showing signs of stress, pinked up. But most of the others look spot on.

I can only hope.

topping up the water again today, will keep a close eye on filters. I have some good bacteria to add to give them a boost and some clay for their skin. All things that they’re used to me adding to the water, so I am thinking it is just a waiting game now. Hopefully the filters will catch up, although they’ve had a pretty severe hit, I think I’m really starting from scratch again. And then I will have to do as many water changes as necessary. When they were first born, I was changing 50% daily and sitting there catching the babies with a sieve…. so I think I’ve come along way from there, still as stressful though….

Big guys all seem fine. Chomping at the bit as usual. So, with a check in the week, I think I might actually be able to relax on my holidays.

12.34pm

Oh dear, so water tests this afternoon,

Ph 7
Ammonia 0
nitrite oopsie 0.5

Going to have to do another water change…..

I guess I really will have to be easy on the filters.

In one sense at least the ammonia chomping bacteria seems to still be okay.

Will not give them any more food till it is back to 0, don’t want to compromise their health after they’ve just gotten over the worst of it.

Baby steps, Dawn, baby steps!!!

02.07.12

3.49

So, we’re wondering why the koi are dying off at a very fast rate now, where they did perk up. Defo Costia,

Trying to get hold of someone to speak to now. Maurice or Dennis anyone!!! this is desperate. There are thousands of them. Unmistakable bastards.

I need something fast.

Still getting the nitrite out, but this is killing all my fish!!!!

HELP

4.51

Thanks for the reply,

Seeing as my pond has salt in it, I can’t use FMG.

Decision is made.

After speaking to some Top blokes. (One from here) I am going with pp. I’ve made the decision seeing as I am losing them so fast to hit them tonight and re
dose as required.

We’ve been doing major water changes because of the raised Nitrite and Ammonia levels, so the salt will have been diluted if not a lot, but at least by some, 6-10 inch a day sometimes twice, so I’m hopeful.

Preparing 3g of pp in hot water as we speak. There are a few koi I know won’t make it through this, as they’re already suffering, but I have to give it a go. Chances are by morning even more will be dead.

We’ve lost 14 up to now, there are still 60 koi worth giving it a go for.

Will post in a little while and fingers crossed

Having a microscope is THE BEST peace of equipment you could ever have. Every koi keeper should have one.

Will post a video of them later, they’re still scooting all around the slide as we speak some 30 mins later.

How hardy are they….

6.00pm

Thanks Dave,

We can’t be online all the time. Lucky for me, I do know a couple of great guys and can phone them up. One phoned me (Al) thanks so much for that…

Here is the video I took, not great, but couldn’t find the holder thingy for it. So it jitters a bit.

Costia – YouTube

so of course, anyone who would like to confirm my diagnosis please do. I was a little unsure, but it is pretty un mistakable.

Nearly the last bit of pp in. Looks like 3 more on their way out.

The others sort of swimming about, the odd one has a bit of a run about, I would guess that might be the costia putting up a fight.

Would a bad reaction to PP be them floating or hiding. Hard to see them in dark purple water!

6.09pm

I am not a dumbo them, thanks. Yeah no one is trying to jump out.

Just put the nets in like you said, and they’re actually curious, daft fish. I will lose a couple more, two really struggling, floating. but the others seem okay swimming about, almost last bit in. So it prob is a pretty high dose of pp, but fingers crossed anyway.

If the net drying out still has live costia on, then I am going to have to fill the tank, because there still could be some in the algae around the sides or in the corners, so the aim for in a couple of days would be to have a full tank and dose again.

Fingers crossed, as at the higher temp they’re breeding like mad. Do you think I could drop it back down a little? Or keep it as it is, stable and ready for healing?

6.38

I don’t know the answer to that one. Will keep it as it is for a day and see if the pp makes them more like my fish.

I guess then will come a lot of healing anyway, as looking at some costia can be a nasty nasty parasite leaving open sores etc.

Last dose went in, fished the two dead un’s out. that makes 16. But I have high hopes now.

The costia bug we had was resistant to high levels of salt. Salt just doesn’t kill things anymore, shame, it used to be so good.

Will keep you updated.

Thanks so much once again. I owe you more than a few cups of tea now, Al….

7.39pm

Well had to Hp as a fair few looked like they were struggling more for 02, so the pp was in for 90 mins, will see how they’re looking in the morning, best to leave them alone I think to recoup. Set the temp a little lower as it had dropped anyway, don’t want a swing in it worse than the ph.

I will catch one and take a look tomorrow, there are a few with patches where the costia I imagine is ripe, from research it seems the ‘lesions’ are worst parts… will keep you up to date.

Thanks everyone for stopping by and fingers crossed there are a few survivors.

(After all the two jap koi are still swimming about happy as larry)

Speak soon

3.07.12

5.49am

So,

This morning, fish looking better, but still hanging about under the backi shower.

No losses.

Will report later.

Thanks everyone, fingers crossed we can deal with any secondary stuff as it pops up now, and hopefully after a second dose of pp, the costia will be dead.

3.44pm

Well, we lost one today. A silver and orange one. But for the most part the other fish are swimming about, not gasping at the surface. To see them all I have to remove the air stones, and there were a couple layered ontop of each other hiding on the bottom. Not looking too happy.

Should I catch one, take a scrape and see how the pp worked?

Temp is 27,

Ammonia and Nitrite back to 0, thankfully. Although I really want to see if they’ll eat, I’m just not sure I should.

I have some sansai biorex and clay to help them if anyone thinks it is worth popping some in?

I guess it is a bit of a waiting game to see how they really do. I think they’ll need another hit of pp on Thursday, been 24 hours. its just a horrible waiting game.

Also worried about the big guys in the main pond, but I’ll give them a couple of days they dont seem to be acting up…

harsh…
__________________

4.07.12

5.59 am

News this morning.

They’re still sulking and hiding. But no deaths in 24 hours

If water is okay later, I am going to drop a little medicated food in. The Asagi and Kohaku are actively looking for food and as soon as the flap to the polly tunnel opens they’re there nosing.

Fingers crossed and will redose tomorrow.

Everyone in the main pond acting like normal, fighting for food this morning.

I can hope we’ve turned a corner and finally luck is on our side.

Will let you know later how they’re doing though.

6.00pm

Hey there,

So today managed a scrape on a pretty poorly koi, Still a bazillion costia.

Not good, going to have to re-treat tomorrow for sure.

7.20

Hi there,

I could spot Costia at 160 quite easily. I’ve only got a 5x and 16x eye pieces, and the mag on the scope itself is 4x 10x and 40.

So using the 16x eye piece and the 10x scope mag I get the 160, I did try the 5x 40 which gave me 200 as well, and they’re still easy.

I am guessing this is because there were just so many of them. It might be hard to spot one or two not sure, I’ll let you know if I can shift the blighters.

Hope this helps you

7.35 pm

For the first hit, I was just trying to get as many of them dead as I could. But the koi were really struggling, so I only managed 90 mins.

I have a course of treatment to follow tomorrow, so I guess I’ll have to give that a go.

How did you end up with Trich after Costia, wouldn’t the pp the first few time have gotten rid of this?

nightmare for you too

1.07.12
Lost four more last night.

This is really tough.

The ones I pulled out today are fighting secondary infections now, as skin has literally dropped off, one had fungus and one had part of its tail scales missing. The other two looked fine on the outside.

The rest are swimming around and having a little food, but there is one which his front fins have gone, looks like just his bones showing…

Should I try and catch them and seal it all somehow.

I don’t know what else I can do… think there will be a few more losses over the next few days, but the larger koi look miles better, maybe its just the small ones which just don’t have enough meat on them to pull through.

So fresh water going in again today. To try and help both filters cycle a little quicker I think I’ll get some stuff today,

Heat, salt, plenty of oxygen and lots of hope….

__________________

4.46pm

So, this evening, things looking a little brighter, I still think there are a couple more which I might lose. But the bigger ones seem to be doing well. Its the smaller ones which are struggling.

Water is better, probably done another half drain today and slow top up so as not to drop the temp too much.

Need to get the filters cycling a bit more, so added in some Microbelift. Which has always been the bees knees for the big pond… so just have to play this very sad waiting game.

By research looks that around 3 days is about the norm to see real improvement. This is only the second day of 30d, so prob a couple more to go yet.

Went for a ride today, went to see Hwood, and then went onto see Elmbank in Widnes, just to show Paul what nice koi he has in.

I have money waiting to be spent on some cracking new fish, but to be honest, I’m a little off put for now, want the babies to get better, don’t need the added stress of new fish in the big pond as well, besides, still no QT to put them in, and not so sure I want to risk infections with them….

Hope everyone else is having a nice weekend.

7.23 pm

Thanks, your support has been great. I think sometimes we just need a friendly ear, someone who knows how tough it is.

Keeping the water quality better has to be my top priority now as they’ll heal better in better water, and I’ll have to try and watch them all very closely. Hard as it is with around 60 fish left. Lost 9 up to now. But I do have good hopes for the others. It just takes time, and as humans we all want things instantly. In the koi world that doesn’t happen.

This is one, I decided to put to sleep today.

As you can see from the pictures, although it was swimming around like nothing was wrong with it, its tail area had started to wear away. And all its fins had gone.

I have no idea if this is a result of the Sleeping sickness, or the fact the water quality had drastically suffered this last week. I think it is probably a combination of everything.

I also wondered if I put in too much salt too quickly, but again, I can wonder what if forever. So, hopefully the salt meter will arrive in the next day, so I will know for sure.

Just will keep on doing what I am doing, and pray….
Attached Thumbnails
sleeping-sickness-sick-koi.jpg sleeping-sickness-sick-koi-2.jpg

7.45pm

I sort of agree with the strong ones will survive. After all the jap koi the doitsu Kohaku and the assagi aren’t affected. At least they don’t show that they are. That is why I know it is sleeping sickness more so than anything else, because they really are fine.

After all the research and stuff I’ve read this week, I understand why breeders do introduce it. I would actually hasten to buy a tosai now from someone who hasn’t. It is a tough world, and nature has things for a reason or we’d be over-run with animals of all kinds.

Again, this week might be a tough one, but you guys have helped so much.

I can’t thank you enough, but afterwards say the party is on me

2.07.12

6.06am

So, lost 10 in total now.

But today was the first time a couple came up looking for food when I opened the qt door so this is really encouraging.

I think I’m battling water q issues now, and this is what is affecting them more than anything else. They’re swimming about but flashing.

Is it time to look at a scope again, to make sure no bugs have been brought on?

Small water change this morning, no food, and we’ll see where we’re at later when I get in from work.

I am hoping that we’re on our way now though, I see a light at the end of the tunnel.