The Buttes

By Doug Wahl

On Sunday, August 8th, Doug Wahl and Debby Janzen traveled to Phoenix to survey a collection of koi on display at The Buttes resort. The engineering staff there has been tasked with disposing of approximately (15) of the larger fish and Doug and Debby were invited to take a look and give them some idea of the quality of the fish and what they might be worth.

Doug and Debby report that there were no "show quality" fish in the collection but all fish would make lovely, larger pond fish. Many of the fish are over 18" and some approaching 30" in length.

Another important observation was that the fish appeared to be very healthy and happy. That is important these days as the koi community works through this latest epidemic.

Doug and Debby also report that the pond itself was very attractive, as you might expect. A tall waterfall cascades down to the pond which is situated inside the restaurant. All around are natural rock cliffs. The rock features are not the sort that are fabricated but they are actually, real rocks. The curious thing was that the pond is filtered through (2) swimming pool type sand filters. It seemed to be "under filtered" and yet the "proof of the pudding" was that the fish are healthy.

The resort is interested in finding good homes for these fish and Doug and Debby believe that very good bargains can be struck. If you are interested in making some of these koi part of your collection, you can contact The Buttes Resort Engineering Department at the following number: Gary Lord, (602) 431-2304 or Scott at 225-9000 ext.#5144.

Index

Back cover The Butte's

page 3 President Corner

page 3 The gills

page 4 Up Date on Gill disease

page 5 Articles from KoiUsa

page 6 Some ways it was transferred

page 7 DR's Comments

page 9 Bulletin Board

Page 10 10% Discount

Page 10 Kawarigoi Kornor

page 10 Picnic Pictures

President Corner

Time, endless time, going on and on. Waiting for no one. The summer is slipping by and the time---where does it go? I think it is caught in the jet stream. Another month has gone already.

With all the rain the past few weeks be sure to check your fish and water. Water levels can rise during thunder storms and if you do not have some sort of skimmer or overflow your pond level will rise and your fish can access to the edge and possibly jump out of the pond.

With the new fish disease that has come out of the annual seminar,

please check the health of your fish. I have heard no reports in Arizona, but again better safe than sorry.

Bob's pond, don't laugh, is still a hole in the ground, but thanks to

several volunteers the filter is now under construction. All of the block was hauled over a couple weekends and the first block was laid on 8-8-99.

Once the filter is complete it will be liner time. Thanks again for all your help and support.

Game and Fish will be at our August meeting. They will talk about the laws for transporting fish when purchased. They will also speak about ponds and ecology---a backyard oasis. Don't miss this one, and have your questions ready.

Remember as time flies by----Sanka Santa will be here soon. Please mark your calendar for our December Christmas Party. What will Sanka Santa bring you?

Sincerely,

K. Robert Panter

President, SAKA

PS Next month a visit from Arizona Game & Fish.

The Gills

Their structure and function by John Redgrove, reprinted from Koi Health Quarterly, via Mid Atlantic Koi Club

This article presents an overview of one of the most organs in the Koi's body - the gills. Basic understanding of gill structure and function is useful because it helps you to realize how vital and delicate they are, and how their function can be impaired.

The gills have three main functions: respiration (taking in oxygen), excretion (ridding the body of wastes, such as ammonia and carbon dioxide) and osmoregulation (control of body fluid and salt content)

Water is dense and viscous (i.e. it's sticky or has strong drag) and contains only 5% dissolved oxygen - even less at higher temperature and salinity - so the gills must be efficient at moving and extracting oxygen from water.

What I am concerned with here is to describe briefly the most important jobs that the gills have to perform.

The gills are located under two gill plates or opercula (singular operculum). Behind each gill plate is a set of four gill arches (holobranchs). Each gill arch has two rows of filaments (each row called a hemibranch) set at an angle to each other. The position of the hernibranchs can be adjusted by muscular action so as to merge or interdigitate with the tips of a hernibranch on the neighboring gill arch, just like rows of interlocking fingers.

The gill filaments or primary lamellae (singular lamella) radiate out from each gill arch like the teeth of a comb and have semicircular folds of epithelium, called secondary Patellae, arranged on each of their two broad sides. The secondary lamellae are the sites of gaseous exchange. The secondary lamellae and those on the adjacent primary lamella loosely interlock with one other - they are conveniently staggered so as to allow the secondary lamellae to meet side by side. Thus, with interdigitating hemibranchs and secondary lamellae, the gill filaments can form an effective sieve-like arrangement for water that flows over them thereby ensuring maximum incoming-water-to-gill filament contact, which is important for efficient exchange of gases, as we shall see.

There are rakers on each gill arch which help to prevent temporarily reversed. Koi keepers are familiar with the notion of 'back-flushing' filters: this is simply back-flushing for the gills!

Take a deep breath

For efficient oxygen uptake there must be a continual supply of oxygenated water to the gills. All koi keepers will have noticed that during gill ventilation a koi's gill plates go fin and out whilst the jaw goes up and down. What happens? Water is drawn into the koi’s mouth by opening the jaws and lowering the mouth floor. At this moment the gill plates are closed so water gathers in the expanded mouth cavity. The mouth is then closed and water is forced out over the gills by (i) raising the mouth floor (thus, compressing the trapped water) and (ii) expanding the gill cavity, causing a drop in pressure and thereby improving flow out over the gills. Skin flaps inside the jaws prevent water from flowing back out through the mouth and a similar flap on the edge of the gill plates ensures only outflow from the gill chamber.

Thus, by regular coordinated mouth and gill plate movements a pumped flow of water is maintained over the gill filaments.

OXYGEN UPTAKE

Koi need oxygen and, not having lungs, they obtain it from water flowing over the gills. The way this happens is best described for one gill filament. Oxygen depleted blood enters from the heart along an artery in the gill arch and flows through to the secondary lamellae. Blood flows along the back edge of the primary lamella (the back as far as the direction of water flow is concerned) and then forward along the secondary lamellae in the opposite direction to the water flow. As blood flows through the thin-walled secondary lamellae it absorbs oxygen from the external flowing water.

As I said above, the water and blood flows at the gills are in opposite directions. This counter-current flow is useful because it causes a larger difference in partial pressure of dissolved oxygen between the water and blood flows. This higher pressure difference improves the efficiency of oxygen uptake - up to 80% of the dissolved oxygen can be absorbed from the water with this flow condition. With such low levels of oxygen in the water in the first place, this improved efficiency is important.

Fish can also manipulate their gill arches using adductor muscles to increase the area of contact between oncoming water and gill filaments and this would be an advantage in an escape situation, for instance, when better oxygen uptake is required. When resting, the gill filaments would be more closely packed and thus provide a smaller effective contact area for in flowing water; also, not all the lamellae are perfuse with blood at low activity levels, which is also a way of controlling ion and water exchange at the gills.

Having been freshly oxygenated at the secondary lamellae, blood returns along the gill arch and eventually to tissues in the body where it gives up it's oxygen for vital cell functions in exchange for carbon dioxide.

The gills are covered by an epithelium which has a total surface area many times that of the rest of the body surface of the fish. The epithelium is very thin - it has to be to allow easy passage of gasses and ions - but this also renders it vulnerable to disease.

Unfortunately for fish, the energy required to extract oxygen from water is high compared to mammals. Up to 10% of the oxygen uptake of a fish at rest may be required for the muscular activity involved in ventilating the gills. When the dissolved oxygen content of the water is low (eg due to high temperature or pollutants) the oxygen used during respiration can be greater than that taken up. This untenable situation - respiratory distress syndrome - is eventually fatal.

WATER AND ION EXCHANGE

Koi, being freshwater fish, have to cope with a constant osmotic inflow of water into the body tissues and a net outflow of salts. Neither of these two processes can be allowed to go on indefinitely without some counterbalancing compensation or the fish will die. Therefore, water accumulation is offset by the fish excreting lots of dilute urine (up to 20% body weight per day) via the kidneys. Some salts (sodium and chloride) are extracted from the urine by the kidney, which is helpful but, more importantly, there is also active uptake of salts at the gills and from food through the wall of the gut. In freshwater fish, sodium and chloride ions are absorbed at the gills in exchange for hydrogen and bicarbonate ions, respectively. The bicarbonate ions arise from carbon dioxide generated by the fish's normal body functions (metabolism).

The main waste-products of metabolism are ammonia and urea, both of which are expelled mainly by diffusion through the gills. Ammonia is very toxic and must not be allowed to accumulate in a fish's body. However, it is thought - it is not certain - that an elevated level of ammonia in the water actually suppresses excretion of ammonia from the fish - so that the fish effectively poisons itself!

SUMMARY

What I have done is to present a brief and simple description of some of the most important gill functions. They are respiration, excretion, and osmoregulation, all related to exchange of substances at the gill surfaces.

Hopefully, as a result, some readers will have a closer appreciation of the importance and purpose of the fish gill, this most delicate and vital of organs.

We have been asked by AKCA to inform our membership about a gill diseases that has hit part of California and other parts of the country. We here in Arizona have been lucky so far and have not been serious effected. The following information cam from the following web site: http://www.koiusa.com/research/index.htm Hope this will keep you inform in case something start to happen in your pond.

Koi Information Central

Since late June of this year, over 30 cases of near total pond kills have been reported, with no apparent common denominator as to the source of this gill epezoid. These epidzoid are not isolated to any one area. Reports of large fish kills have come in from Illinois, Oregon, California, Colorado and Georgia.

It is very likely that there is more than one disease and possibly several parasites involved in these problems i.e. Initial reports submitted by various Veterinarians across the country indicate every thing from a herpes virus, Trichodina, flukes, Ich, chilodinella, costia, and a bacteria, of the Aeromonas class.

What’s being done.

Reported by Jeanenne Pershing of the Camellia Koi Club. The Northern Calif. folks have contacted Ron Hedrick at UC Davis. He has said this is likely the virus he found six months or so ago (originally seen in September of '98). The Northern Californa folks have arranged to get him infected fish next week and he has agreed to look at them to determine what's wrong. He says it will take two weeks from the time he receives the fish.

Reported in the AKCA Minutes of July 1999 Spike Cover went to the AKCA board meeting in July and made a (successful) pitch to have AKCA fund a "search for the cure." This project relates specifically to the gill disease that seems to be infecting many ponds. The AKCA approved $6,000 with the possibility to come back for more if needed. Spike envisions the following scenario: A selected researcher eventually isolates the bug or bugs causing the current gill disease problem. The Researcher grows the pathogen(s) and infects healthy fish, confirms they are sick as a result of the pathogen and then tests various treatments which are thought to possibly cure the disease. If a cure or cures is/are found, the results will immediately be posted on the AKCA and other web sites. Also, the information will be published in KOIUSA.

Al Dentone is now financing an investigation to isolate the pathogen for a possible vaccine.

Report by Dr Eric Johnson

Fish sent to UGA with gill disease symptoms and which were completely non responsive to antibiotics DID NOT HAVE viruses. This only refers to the fish sent to UGA and does not intend to reflect on what others may be seeing. Shoot this thing with all the drugs you want and it marches on. Interestingly, survivors are immune to future outbreaks. They can carry this pathogen and not be clinically affected for months. It does not require a parasite host. I am still convinced it's a bacteria, of the Aeromonas class.

What are People doing?

Due to these recent fish kills in the koi hobby, it has been proposed, that a central data gathering area be set up to collect input and post output concerning any information pertaining to the recent fish kills. To that end, I have consented to tackle this job.

I intend to set up a newsletter containing recently released information. It is my intention to show no bias as to the source of the information - all researches/ researchers that care to submit their results will be included. This newsletter will originally be sent to all AKCA Reps of record and E Mailed to anyone listed in the "Great Koi People" on the AKCA Web Site.

All of the information, except survey results, will be posted at http://www.koiusa.com/research/index.htm

An open forum/bulletin board has been set up at www.koiusa.com/research/gills.htm

What can you do?

Enclosed is a copy of a survey that has been prepared to help isolate a common denominator. It is very long and involved; and no one is expected to know, or fill in all of the questions. Please give a copy of this survey to anyone that you know who has had a large fish kill in the past year. The survey is also available on line at http://www.koiusa.com/infocentral/survey.htm Please note that the surveys will be strictly confidential and shared ONLY with the three Veterinarians noted below (if they so choose to participate)

Monetary, as well as equipment and man hour donations are needed. There are 3 investigators at present. Dr Ron Hedrick of UC Davis, Dr Joe Groff (N California) and Dr Eric Johnson (Atlanta Georgia). Their proposals, needs, etc are listed on this web site. Your donations will be channeled directly to the Investigator of your choice.

Fish: Ideally, it is best to examine live fish with the condition but that this is not always practical or desirable. However, with high losses, I would strongly encourage shipment of live sick fish. Fish that are well-packaged (double-bagged with minimal clean water and lots of oxygen; placed in a Styrofoam container with blue ice packs) generally do well using direct overnight shipment (UPS only) or airline courier service such as Delta Dash or Southwest. Otherwise, overnight express shipment of frozen fish packed on ice or dry ice would also be useful but is less than ideal since a complete examination on frozen fish is impossible. These fish can be used for bacterial and viral isolation although there is no guarantee that the pathogen will be isolated and a histopathological examination on frozen fish is impossible. Tissues (especially the gills but also the internal organs) should be fixed in 10% buffered formalin (available at your local friendly vet or lab, this prevents the isolation of pathogens but can at least provide a diagnosis; that is, if the condition is this particular gill problem or a separate problem.

Get the word out there. Please let everyone you can think of know about this potential pathogen. If you are responsible for a koi newsletter or web site, please include as much of the information enclosed here as you can afford. Please do not cause a panic. These pathogens have NOT been traced to any particular source or geological area. At present, advise Koi Keepers to quarantine all new fish. Stress that they maintain excellent water quality and practice good nutrition for their pets.

Recent Fish Kills Due to Diseased Gills

If you suspect that your recent fish kills may be attributed to this gill disease, please take the time to fill out the Survey

Recent Gill Disease Outbreaks by James Van Jen (Koi Club of San Diego)

This article is to inform you of an as yet undetermined koi disease that has recently reached epidemic proportions. Unlike aeromonis (hole in the side) disease that we’ve grown accustomed to over the last 10-15 years, this disease does not produce any unique obvious characteristics that might alert you to its identity and seriousness. It can easily be mistaken for any number of common koi maladies often caused by poor water conditions. Unfortunately even pristine water doesn’t seem to offer protection from this new infection.

Since we haven’t found out the identity or a cure for it yet, the best I can do is to alert you to its symptoms, speculate about its modes of transmission and incubation periods, tell you what is being done about it and inform you of treatments that have been attempted so far.

My first encounter with disease was in late March 1999. Since then, I have personally seen about 7 infected ponds and talked by telephone to about another dozen people with the problem. I have also shared a lot of information with Dr Joseph Groff, Dr Galen Hansen, Spike Cover and many others. To date there are many more unknowns that knowns. It seems that there are reports of a disease that sounds suspiciously similar in various parts of the United States, Europe and Japan. The survival rate appears to be between 0% to 25% on average.

It usually first appears on fish as a slightly off color skin, most easily noticed on the whites. It looks like pinkish yellow areas with congested blood vessels on the surface The fish also begin to pump their gills harder and harder trying to get oxygen in through their infected gills. They loose their appetite, become inactive and sometimes develop whitish looking deposits on their skin or fins. These spots look a little like dried salt lumps, 1/8 to * inch long. The slime coat often becomes very rough in patches. There is usually nothing significant upon microscopic examination except lost of dead skin or gill cells. One unique characteristic is noticed; if you scrape on the lumps with a microscope cover slide, they seem very hard and sound like you’re scraping concrete. Often the pond water appears funky with a film on the surface. It’s not

known if this is from the pathogen causing the disease or as a result of the deterioration of the fish’s gills and slime coat.

The disease appears to most often be spread by the addition of new fish infected with the disease. However, I know of several cases where the apparent mode of transmission was limited to herons carrying it into the pond. Be wary of introducing new plants, or anything else that has been in other ponds or natural water sources. The incubation period seems to be as long as a month in colder water (50 degrees) to only several days in warmer water (75 degrees).

I know of one case where all the fish were lost in a few weeks and after waiting one week, 7 new fish were introduced and

they also died within the next week.

I know of another case in which 25% of the fish survived the outbreak and a hatching of fry from the dead parents also survived. A month after the disease had run its course a dozen more fish where introduced and are doing fine.

So far most of the known treatments I have tried or have heard of have been ineffective with the following possible

exceptions. These remain unproven. Potassium Permanganate at 1 gram/100 gallons for 4 hours for 5 consecutive days, then repeated again after 3 days. Be sure you read up on this medicine. It is very dangerous and can easily kill your whole pond if you overdose. If you would like to call me, I will relay my experience to you about this medicine and its effect on this disease. Read the March/April 1999 issue of KOI USA to get information on Chloramine T which is reported to slow down the spread of the disease. Dr Galen Hanse’s medicated food mixture of Ciprofloxin/septra appears to help, however most fish rapidly losses their appetite so unless you try this early, it is of limited value. Again I wish to stress that not enough is known at this time to endorse any treatment as an effective cure for this disease.

It seems that large fish are usually the most susceptible to the disease and as always the best and most beautiful fish seem to die at a higher rate than pond fish. People don’t seem affected by it yet and of course mosquito fish survive it and everything else.

The AKCA and Dr Joseph Groff are among many who are working hard to get to the bottom of this, but so far it is not even certain if it is a virus or a bacteria. At this point, as bacteria seems more likely but this is a very difficult disease to cultivate by normal standard cultures.

It seems prudent to avoid unnecessary risks. If you buy new fish, please quarantine them in a designated area for 30 days with a quality active biological filter. Be careful not to let any water out of it that can reach your main pond via nets, hands, shoes, etc.. Let'’ all hope for the best. James Van Jen (949) 855-2371

KOI USA Release

Some have identified it as a virus, calling it the New York or Israeli Herpes virus. Others contend that it is a new bacterium or a new version of an old one. Whatever the case proves to be, one thing is abundantly clear. This disease is potent, and deadly to Koi ponds. Ponds where this bug has been identified, have consistently seen 100% mortality in a matter of days and weeks.

One fact stands out in all of this bad news: we must all add isolation ponds to our already crowded back yards. If, as seems likely now to be the case, this disease, or other diseases as well, is spread through contact with sick fish or carriers, then we must stop the problem at the door. New Koi coming into your home, for 30 to 90 days.

Remember that the purpose here is to isolate any potential disease invaders from getting to your main pond. This means you must not use the same nets, tubs, and pumps. If you get your hands wet in the isolation pond, don’t stick them in the main pond. If you must use the same equipment, sterilize with bleach or other safe agent.

The symptoms for this disease are red raspberry splotches on the Koi, similar to the early outbreak of an ulcer, a yellowing of the skin, rough texture to the body, and listlessness behavior, with the Koi floating near the top or sitting on the bottom often in a corner. The gills are heavily damaged as well which appears to be the ultimate killer.

Some ways it was transferred

July 24 1999

Links to the path of transmittal of this gill disease are NOT conclusive.

Koi Shows - Although some attendees of California koi shows have been hit hard with this pathogen, there are several

entrants that have not had any signs of trouble.

Dealers - Although outbreaks among dealers are now being reported, there is no direct link between dealers and all

cases that have been reported.

Raccoons & Herons - Some ponds have reported problems with birds and animals, again, not all.

pH - A few ponds have shown indications that high (alkaline) pH has stimulated the transmission of the disease.

Temperatures - There may be a correlation between temperature and this disease. A few reports indicate that the disease becomes virulent when ponds reach 70F in the spring. Other infected ponds have reported large (10 degree)

fluctuations over a 2 day period. Ponds in Arizona, where possible infected new fish were introduced, report that water

temperatures of +85F in quarantine stopped the spread.

Fish from Japan or from Israel - If this is the case, dealers from these countries are not talking, but reports in from South Africa indicate that they had a lot of trouble last fall (their spring).

New fish & exposure to other fish - The most common correlation among ponds that have been hit hard.

Equipment - The disease appears to also be transmitted by the sharing of equipment between tanks and ponds (nets, tubs, even the end of the hose)

Food - A couple of reports indicate that feeding high protein food, below 50F, might have stimulated the problem.

Some medicines that have had an effect

Drugs Tried, keep in mind that not all cases have been confirmed to be the gill disease that is under investigation and also there is a large possibility that there are two separate gill problems. Note that some remedies are found on both sides of the chart showing that they worked in some instances and not others

Please use common sense when adding medications to your pond - misuse of drugs will kill more than it will save.

Ineffective

oxytetracycline in food

Tetracycline HCL

azactam

gentamycin

May have been Effective

oxytetracycline in food Chloramine T 1tsp/100gal

Tetracycline HCL 100 mg/liter (by passed filter)

Heat +85F

Potasium Permangante 1g/100gal 4 hours for 5 days, repeat after 3 days

Dr's Comments

Dr Eric Johnson

IF YOU THINK YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THIS BACTERIAL PHENOMENON, there is information at the end of this article about FREE diagnostic services. All you pay is the shipping to get the specimens to the laboratory.

The bacterial gill disease epidemic in S. California features the following chronological hallmarks:

Introduction of new fish or exposure of your fish to new Japanese fish.

The hobbyists' older fish and smaller fish begin to isolate, and their appetite departs. Smaller fish die first, usually within three days of showing symptom of isolating. In some cases, white patchy areas develop over the back, behind the gill covers. Other fish may become diffusely slimy looking, however many of these feel rough when touched, like sandpaper.

Body sores are possible but are not a key hallmark. If body sores are found, it is usually after the gill damage is well underway or after the fish is on the rebound to recovery.

Upon examination of the moribund and dying fish, you will find necrotic and discolored areas in the gill tissue.

Cases of acute bacterial gill disease are currently being seen in Michigan, California, and Houston TX. There are cases reported in Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia Las Vegas, Dallas, San Diego. Basically, these fish seem to have one thing in common: They went through California or were exposed to fish which came through CA (perhaps at a show). This disease appeared to start on Japanese import fish and has spread quickly through established collections once it gets warm water to 'play' in.

A key *trigger* point seemed to be a rapid rise in temperature or exposure to temperature extremes. When this

happened, all hell broke lose in several ponds. It had been warm previously (water temp 75ish) but when the water climbed 10 DF in 2 days, we saw this bug take root.

So far, no Branchiomyces is being reported by pathologists looking at these fish, however it is unclear if these pathologists are looking for this pathogen.

Something that has been noticed in all the fish: If the fish was small and the gill arch itself (even a tiny bit of it) turned white or gray, the fish was a goner. In those that we could "get over the hump" initially, they all died 3-4 days later.

The condition appears to resist all antibiotic therapy. Abundant Aeromonad organisms are isolated from these dead and dying fish, as well as some Flexobacteria. Efforts are under way to develop rapid autogenous vaccines which may decrease the endemic spread of the disease and to hasten immune clearance of the bacteria involved.

NO VIRUS PARTICLES HAVE BEEN FOUND. MOST VIRUS PARTICLES RECENTLY FOUND IN KOI WHICH ARE MORIBUND ARE COINCIDENTAL FINDINGS AND HAVE NOT MET KOCH'S POSTULATES FOR INFECTIVITY IN ALL CASES.

One important development in the treatment of this BGD [bacterial gill disease] epidemic concerns the use of Chloramine T.

A company called Argent Chemical in Washington state has marketed a product called BGDX [chloramine T] for years. Its indication is the treatment of Bacterial gill diseases. Its success is fairly well known. However, more recently, some excellent work was done at UC Davis by Dr. Jill Spangenberg, which produced results on the efficacy of Chloramine T on trematode (fluke) infestations.

While the outcome of her study [and clinical trial] was superb in terms of the addition of another flukicide to the arsenal it may have taken some folks' minds off of Chloramine T as an effective gill disease treatment. Most notably, BACTERIAL gill disease. [To her credit, Dr. Spangenberg is most certainly aware of Chloramine-T's many indications.]

It is conceivable however that AKCA and ZNA investigators are being assured by other fish health specialists that Chloramine-T will have no role in the clearance of the acting bacterial pathogens from the gills of Koi. It's a regrettable omission.

HISTORICAL: I [ELJ] have used Chloramine-T for bacterial gill disease based on the recommendation of Randy LeFever at Blue Ridge Hatchery. This was advice he had given me several years ago, when he told me that he had experienced good

results in groups of fish with bacterial gill disease using Argent's BGDX [which is actually chloramine T].

His advice came back to haunt me this year [recently] when I saw three groups of fish dying fast with gill disease lesions.

I used Chloramine T at the Argent label dose, (one teaspoon per hundred gallons) and this combination WITH antibiotic injections seemed to turn the tide for more than fifty percent of the affected fish. Losses were still heavy, however.

In another collection, the fish keeper did not see a great or immediate result with the Chloramine T and so they discontinued it. Despite rigorous injection regimens, their fish continued to die.

In a parallel universe (e.g. on the West coast), Roark was using Chloramine T in these cases, without INJECTIONS and was having even better results than we were with injection.

It is extremely premature to say that Chloramine T is going to be the salvation of the twenty plus ponds which are under lethal attack in Southern California. However, due to Chloramine T's safety, it can certainly be recommended as an effective adjunct.

For best success with the Chloramine T - it has been used by me and by Roark under the following conditions:

Chloramine T definitely impacts the filter's biological function resulting in ammonia spikes after treatment if the biological filter media (bacteria) is exposed. Therefore, we recommend bypassing the filters during treatment, for best results, re-circulating pumps and bypass multi-ports make this easy. I [ELJ] have treated fish with Chloramine T in warm water (82 DF) with no ill effect as long as aeration/circulation are optimized.

The filter should be bypassed during the entire treatment and the water should be exchanged for fresh by a total of fifty percent after treatment. Treatments were based on Dr Spangenberg's dosing chart [http://www.koivet.com/chloraminet.htm], we gravitated to twenty parts per million and held the water in re-circulation for SIX TO EIGHT HOURS. TREAT EVERY DAY AT TWENTY PARTS PER MILLION OF CHLORAMINE-T [OR PER DR SPANGENBERG'S DOSING CHART].TREAT DAILY FOR THREE DAYS WITH FILTER BYPASSED FOR SIX TO EIGHT HOURS AND THEN EXECUTE A FIFTY PERCENT WATER CHANGE WITH PLAIN DECHLORINATOR. THEN TREAT EVERY OTHER DAY FOR TWO TO THREE MORE TREATMENTS.

You will use a lot of water with this.

There should be a 50% water change after each chloramine-T dose and a 90% change after the 3rd dose. Then dose EOD [every-other-day] for 3 more doses and do small random water changes. It doesn't seem to make any difference to the fish if one changes the water or not when starting EOD dosing.

I will be candid here. Roark's results are better than mine are. He is using a pure, reagent grade Chloramine T (without fillers) and I am using the Argent Labs BGDX proprietary Chloramine T. Roark is sending me some of the reagent grade Chloramine T and I will be using it here in Atlanta.

To obtain reagent grade Chloramine T you should contact your local supplier of water treatments, or you may send an email to mailto:roark7@aol.com and he has made arrangements to link you to the parties supplying the compound at a wholesale rate. ABOUT the grades of CHLORAMINE-T: I [Roark] use two different formulations of chloramine-T. One is the 50-100 mesh (same as what is being sent to Atlanta). The other is the 200 mesh "airfloat" version of the same. Dosing is slightly different (due to grain size) but they are chemically the same. Brand "Chlorazene" is being touted as "the safe Chloramine T" however it is the identical compound..."Chlorazene" is just watered-down chloramine-T with 20-30% extra filler....hence the perceived margin of safety. Consider: http://msds.pdc.cornell.edu/msds/siri/q205/q133.html

Chloramine-T *hammers* the biofilter, but more importantly it expends itself on the organics which are always present. I [Roark] can't maintain therapeutic levels in such an environment without going with a much larger dose (25-30ppm) at which point the fish are being badly stressed. At this level, there is no room for error. A few degrees F rise and the fish tox-out. My [Roark] recommendation is to treat fish ONLY in a clean q-tank with NO organic load.

Note that H2O2 [hydrogen peroxide] is entirely compatible with a Chloramine-T treatment and does not seem to harm the therapeutic effects of the compound. Indeed, the only way I was able to keep some of the "basket case" fish alive at all was by keeping them in H2O2-dosed water for a week. Serial doses of 0.10 to 0.25 cc's per gallon of 3% H2O2 seemed to do no harm and actually did a world of good.

Currently, there is a lot left to be known about this epidemic. I [ELJ] am full of regret that I am not directly involved in the investigation of this problem. If you happen to have fish which are showing the above symptoms or any other symptoms of bacterial infection, you may send them to the following address for FREE CULTURE AND SENSITIVITY

TESTING with results being sent to me and to you. Based on these results, you can: Choose an appropriate antibiotic. Gain more knowledge about surface pathogens and parasites, which may be impacting the case.

Have more specific information when utilizing informational resources. Possibly commission an autogenous vaccine for use in more valuable collections.

The address for the free pathology workup and Culture and Sensitivity results is:

Dr. Joe Groff
Dept Path and Microbiology
Room 1149 haring Hall
School of Vet Medicine
UC Davis
Davis California 95616

530-752-7483 (Use this number only for questions concerning specimen conveyance and timing, and NOT for consults and questions about fish illnesses ad nauseum.)

Tests to request: Surface biopsy, histopathology of internal organs, culture with sensitivity, results to be faxed to your fax number and to (770) 973 0301. You should provide complete and abundant contact information and historical data with your specimens. Specimens should be shipped alive [Packed in a plastic bag with ample water, on ice within an insulated and durable container, and under pure oxygen] to arrive early in the workweek. You should let me know that you're sending the specimens by sending me a fax at the number above so I can look for your results and contact you if it's desired.

Note: The above pathology services are provided by verbal agreement with Aqua Health Ltd. Accuracy of information above is dependent upon that received from A. Dentone at AHLtd.

Dr Joe Groff

Dr Groff has done several days of necropsies and had come up with various findings but nothing definitive so far. Dr Groff has isolated several bacteria but is not certain which, if any are the primary pathogens. He has not yet ruled-out other non-bacterial pathogens. Many of the bacteria found are still being identified, cultured and sub-cultured. Some cultures have been finalized and some are still in progress. He mentioned that he had, "never seen such a terrible case of gill rot"

Anyone having fish with gill disease and wishing to send fish to Dr. Groff for examination, please ship them via UPS overnight to the following address: (Note: fish are sacrificed for examination and are not returned)

Please advise Dr. Groff in advance of the arrival so that he may be prepared.

Send fish/samples to:

Dr. Joseph M. Groff
Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology
Room 1149, Haring Hall
School of Veterinary Medicine
University of California
Davis, CA 95616
Phone (for shipment only; not correspondence): 530-752-7483
Phone (for correspondence): 530-753-8739
e-mail: josephvmd@aol.com

August 1 1999

Joe Groff is now seeing a fair amount of evidence that this disease may be virus caused or, if it's multi-factorial, may have a viral component.

Dr Ron Hedrick

The herpes virus reported by Hedrick has the following symptoms: great lesions in kidney, spleen, gut, gill, liver and astrocytes in the brain. Groff sees almost no major internal organ involvement, almost exclusively gills! (Most likely 2 different problems)

Bulletin Board

Recent Fish Kills Due to Diseased Gills

If you suspect that your recent fish kills may be attributed to this gill disease, please take the time to fill out this Survey

Question: Better Koi Keeping - Nigel M W Cadock 14:02:26 8/05/99

In common with everyone in the Koi

industry privy to the problems currently being experienced in the USA I am extremely concerned for everyone involved. Koi Keeping is not a science its an art and the real art is to use appropriate science in support of common sense experience and good old good Koi Keeping. In the throws of the current hiatus we are well advised to also remember some boring, unfashionable but still as important as ever - Koi Keeping prime directives. In times of distress its often the case that as we pursue someone or something to "bame" we forget the basics. I have absolutely no doubt that you currently have one of the many serious problems that afflict Koi Keepers from time to time, however having seen many emails, reports and comments and read my old pal Alan Rogers words of wisdom on this matter I find his being the only words ringing any bells and while its clear that there is some credence in many of the others I also get the feeling that in the pursuit of a quick fix there is a great danger that we may also be missing the real crux of the matter. The hard reality is that while the end of the world is nigh the balance of probability indicates that it will continue to be nigh. While we should always be responsive to all new threats - what about the old threats? I also cant help feeling that the barrage of chemicals some of the afflicted Koi have been subjected to would render any imported disease the very least of their problems. Furthermore although it will not be a popular point - show me a pond full of dead Koi and I’ll show you a Koi Keepers not doing his job properly. We all have a duty of care over our pets and sometimes when we have been successful in our efforts for some time we tend to acquire "fat cat syndrome" in other words we take our eye off the ball and quite simply get cocky. Its my experience that the period of greatest risk is the time when everything is going great!! When we have been subjected to such outbreaks in the UK it has always been the case that while in some cases there was indeed a rogue bacteria or especially robust parasite

there was also another affliction common to all occurrences and in truth the real virus or disease - bad Koi keeping!

In my experience there is no such thing as coincidence and the more you practise the luckier you get - or not as the case may be. It is the human condition that when the problem hits our back door we squeal most, its also interesting that it take a bunch of dead Koi to get the coffers prized open at least in the USA you are actually paying professionals to investigate that's more than the Europeans have done but wouldn't it be great if for once we could learn the lesson and spend a bit more on prevention rather than a fortune in seeking a name for the death certificate. I believe its time the Koi industry grew up and rather than being surprised when live animals get sick - we invest in a better understanding of our animals and more importantly how we keep them healthy this includes better Koi keeping as well as any medical responses. Despite the claims of the many experts Koi are delicate flowers, pedigree racehorses NOT workhorses, the good news is their beautiful diversity and color the not so good news is the basic fact that in 1999 we still cant fix them when they break! It seems to me that if we were making cut glass or porcelain our investment would be better spent not breaking them in the first place – because gluing them back together really is not the answer.

Read Mr. Rogers words again like mine you may not like them but we have been there and gotten all the T-shirts and while we have the greatest sympathy for all those afflicted by this terrible problem I feel a great responsibility to mention that while I have no doubt that you currently have a major problem - chances are you also have several others including in common with your cousins in the UK a great need to do better. Please don't stop chasing after new demons but at the same time PLEASE PLEASE don't ignore the old demons as they kill Koi each day every day and always will!!

Question: methodology list - Bob Brudd 13:34:58 8/05/99

Dear Burt,

Thank you for both your response and for your efforts to keep all of us appraised re: this latest threat to our koi. I still think that some kind of "list" is in order. We all know that a number of truly fine and capable koi keepers, some of whom have science or medical backgrounds, have suffered significant losses recently. Since we've had only one possible case of the disease in the Midwest, I'd simply like to know ahead of time what's worked and what hasn't worked for these highly respected hobbyists. We have a koi show coming up very soon and a number of koi keepers here are very concerned. Again, couldn't the AKCA, which seems to be located at ground zero, compile and post a detailed description of symptoms and suggestions of what to treat/not treat with? I fully understand and recognize the dangers of posting inadequate or flawed data. However, no data at all will simply lead to more panic reactions when the next pond becomes infected. The AKCA has done a good thing in providing a forum to discuss this disease; it also has a responsibility and obligation to provide as much cogent and viable information as possible to its members. A lot of koi keepers are counting on you to do just that. Please realize that your efforts are truly appreciated - I know you're a volunteer just like the rest of us.

Question: gill problem and medications used

Burt 06:46:09 8/05/99 if we compiled a list it might be very misleading to many people as it would pre suppose that every problem was the same one and in fact many people's problems would show similar symptoms but have a different pathogen and people would guess they had this problem and not diagnose for sure and not use a treatment that would be effective against their problem, thinking it was this current gill problem. burt

Question: Gill Disease - Annette 13:44:46 8/03/99 Hello! I had a bout with this gill disease. It started for me late spring. Symptoms were the same as described. My fish had no outward appearance of being sick at first. Stopped eating, lingering on bottom, under waterfall etc. Water was checked etc. all was fine. The fish started dying about 24 - 48 hours after getting disease. After checking dead fish, I found gills affected deep inside and therefore I didn't detect any problem at first. Not all fish had same symptoms. Some had red ulcer-like marks, mouth-fin rot etc. but these were secondary to the real problem. Skin in most cases was rough. Something that no one has mentioned was that I detected a certain "odor" in the water or on the fish (no, not the dead fish smell Ha!). I almost lost every fish. Most of my 100+ fish came from Japan. I didn't have huge fish (average 12-14 inches). The fish were removed from the pond and treated with chloramine-T, amikacin and azactam and a lot of O2.. Some fish still died. I cleaned out my ponds with Clorox, super strength. I treated everything from filters to plants. If the plants died, oh well. I kept Clorox running for two weeks. I then cleaned out everything scrubbing all. I changed water at least four times ( fresh water well), tested for chlorine and filled ponds (two) . I started biologicals again for three weeks before reentering fish that survived ( about 12) I also bought about five smaller fish from Japan. After one week my new fish from Japan died from same disease. My "older" fish survived. After about another month, I bought more fish from Japan. They also died. After another two weeks, I bought several new fish -domestic this time. These fish are still doing fine. I forgot the most important thing! Five fish from Japan were acting sick. I immediately took them out of the pond and treated them 12 hours in Chloramine-T and Kanamycin, took them out for 12 hours and then returned them into a fresh bath of the same . I also gave them an injection of Ancef. Guess what? They all survived ( five fish in all) They all had the same symptoms as my other now dead fish! Things that did not work: Nitrafura-G , Tetracycline, oxolinic acid, potassium peranganate (this did slow it down some but they still died), amikacin and azactam. hope this helps your study! annette (2)

Nigel Caddock 06:47:34 8/01/99

In common with everyone in the Koi industry privy to the problems currently being experienced in the USA I am extremely concerned for everyone involved. Koi Keeping is not a science its an art and the real art is to use appropriate science in support of common sense experience and good old good Koi Keeping. In the throws of the current hiatus we are well advised to also remember some boring, unfashionable but still as important as ever - Koi Keeping prime directives.

In times of distress its often the case that as we persue someone or something to "bame" we forget the basics. I have absolutely no doubt that you currently have one of the many serious problems that afflict Koi Keepers from time to time, however having seen many emails, reports and comments and read my old pal Alan Rogers words of wisdom on this matter I find his being the only words ringing any bells and while its clear that there is some credence in many of the others I also get the feeling that in the pursuit of a quick fix there is a great danger that we may also be missing the real crux of the matter.

The hard reality is that while the end of the world is nigh the balance of probability indicates that it will continue to be nigh. While we should always be responsive to all new threats - what about the old threats?

I also cant help feeling that the barrage of chemicals some of the afflicted Koi have been subjected to would render any imported disease the very least of their problems. Furthermore although it will not be a popular point - show me a pond full of dead Koi and Ill show you a Koi Keepers not doing his job properly. We all have a duty of care over our pets and sometimes when we have been successful in our efforts for some time we tend to aquire "fat cat syndrome" in other words we take our eye off the ball and quite simply get cocky. Its my experience that the period of greatest risk is the time when everything is going great!!

When we have been subjected to such outbreaks in the UK it has always been the case that while in some cases there was indeed a rogue bacteria or especially robust parasite there was also another affliction common to all occurrences and in truth the real virus or disease - bad Koi keeping! I my experience there is no such thing as coincidence and the more you practice the luckier you get - or not as the case may be. It is the human condition that when the problem hits our back door we squeal most, its also interesting that it take a bunch of dead Koi to get the coffers prized open at least in the USA you are actually paying professionals to investigate that's more than the Europeans have done but wouldn't it be great if for once we could learn the lesson and spend a bit more on prevention rather than a fortune in seeking a name for the death certificate.

I believe its time the Koi industry grew up and rather than being surprised when live animals get sick - we invest in a better understanding of our animals and more importantly how we keep them healthy this includes better Koi keeping as well as any medical responses. Despite the claims of the many experts Koi are delicate flowers, pedigree racehorses NOT workhorses, the good news is their beautiful diversity and color the not so good news is the basic fact that in 1999 we still cant fix them when they break! It seems to me that if we were making cut glass or porcelain our investment would be better spent not breaking them in the first place - because gluing them back together really is not the answer.

Read Mr. Rogers words again like mine you may not like them but we have been there and gotten all the T-shirts and while we have the greatest sympathy for all those afflicted by this terrible problem I feel a great responsibility to mention that while I have no doubt that you currently have a major problem - chances are you also have several others including in common with your cousins in the UK a great need to do better.

Please don't stop chasing after new demons but at the same time PLEASE PLEASE don't ignore the old demons as they kill Koi each day every day and always will!!

Question: Fish kill - Jerri Phillips 09:27:40 7/31/99 I live in Georgia, between Athens and Atlanta. I had a massive fish kill a few weeks ago. I am losing several babies a day still. My new 6500 gallon pond had 5 large koi and a hundred or so babies, also 5 shubunkins. I now have 2 koi, 2 shubunkinsand maybe 10 babies. They do not eat or swim around, just hang on the bottom. I have another pond of about 2500 gallons which is unaffected. The fish in there are thriving. I have not added any new fish in over a year to either pond. I have added many plants in the last few months.

Question: Ventura County Koi Show - Richard Renshaw 22:21:44 7/28/99 Ventura County Koi Show Canceled

Due to the severe outbreak of Gill Disease in Southern California, it has been recommended, and the Ventura Count Koi Society concurs, that this year's Koi Show be canceled for the protection of the fish.

Question: Fish Mortalities - Alan Rogers 16:02:59 7/26/99 Very sorry to hear of this outbreak you are all experiencing. I have not said too much at this stage because the last thing you guys need is another batch of antidotes and panic advice.

We experienced something very similar with this last year, with the same devastating results. I also noted comments from Nigel which in

my opinion is as close to the facts as many of you have come remotely close to. I experienced this same synopsis nearly ten years ago . . . check it out!

I have also noted that many people, in desperation are throwing everything at this that you can . . . IN MY OPINION this is another mistake. Koi cannot recover from this bombardment of pond treatments even if they are not affected initially.

I have recognised that much of this stems from movement and introduction of new Koi . . . what happened to quarantine warnings?

Israel took a great deal of blame for this initial outbreak in the UK, and in my opinion to a great degree . . .justifiably! They did (or still have major problems there! ) As regards Japanese imports . . . can you be absolutely sure that cross mixing of these countries fish NEVER ever took place . . . especially at dealers premises? This is where we traced the main problem to!

Isolation and quarantine is your best treatment and that includes nets and baskets etc . . .dips are useless when considered adequately protected with a five minute dip in disinfect ion.

In my humble opinion unless there is external body tissue/damage put the hypodermic needles away, this is not bacterial infections. Do not purchase or move Koi into uninfected ponds under any circumstances. Maintain pristine water quality with minimum water changes (once local water quality has been verified). In the UK very few people rely or function without water purifiers . . . this we consider is protective maintenance and in this case the hobbyist controls exactly what comes down the tap supply lines. Thus the comment from Nigel! We recognize you have a problem now in your country.

Fish of the Month

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There are three types of Bekko; the Aka (red) Bekko, the Shiro (white) Bekko, and the Ki (yellow) Bekko. The Bekko has a simple stepping stone pattern of sumi (black) running down it’s back set against a red, white or yellow background.

10 % Discount

With your membership card

Mountain View Koi

3828 Keeling Road, Hereford

378-3710

Ponds, Plants & More

2060 West Ruthrauff

292-6774

Rancho del Koi

3400 S. Sagauro Shadows Drive

886-8797

Tucson Feed & Pet Supply

8524 East Broadway

722-7399

Kawarigoi Kornor

Special Events

Coming UP

Oklahoma Koi Society Koi Show

The Third Annual Oklahoma Koi Society Koi Show will be Sept 4-5, 1999, labor day weekend. The show will be held in the Made in Oklahoma Building on the Oklahoma State Fairgrounds in Oklahoma City.

The Tucson Watergardeners

1^st Pond Tour

Stepember 11^th, 1999

20^th Southern Arizona Koi Association Koi Show

November 12 -14, 1999

KINO VETERAN’S MEMORIAL CENTER

Some of the Raffle Items

Suburban Water Gardens

Ultra Violet Light

Sequence Pump

$100 Gift Certificate

Ecological Laboratories Inc

Microbe-Lift

Picnic Pictures