Koi Disease: Protecting Your Fish From KHV
Posted on 18. May, 2009 by admin in Aquariums, Fishtanks
As you take care of your Koi, always protect them from fatal viruses such as the KHV (or the Koi Herpes Virus). You should know that your fish is very susceptible to this virus. So how do you protect your Koi from this virus? The only way to protect your pets is to make sure they never get exposed to it. If you have the necessary information about this kind of virus, you will be able to protect your Koi better from it.
The Facts About The Disease:
So what is this disease? Since the primary outbreak, a little has only been learned about the virus. Knowing the important facts is an essential thing for the protection and survival of your own fish. The KHV is a fatal disease which has just recently popped up in the Koi industry. In the late 1998 and early 1999, the first outbreak has been confirmed in Israel, then in the following years has been confirmed in places like Asia, Europe and the United States.
The disease will infect the victim throughout its full lifespan. Even those who do not show any signs of the virus, they will be carriers if exposed to it. The mortality rate of the exposed fish is around 60 percent to 80 percent.
There is no cure for this virus. Even if proper treatment has been given to your pet, never again will they be able to go to a new home, and this is because if you put them in a healthy population, because if they are mixed in your healthy Koi population, they will spread the virus to the others, which could cause a higher mortality rate. Remember that this virus can spread in various ways, like the fish coming into contact with the infected ones, tools used to handle the infected fish, the water in which the infected fish swam, etc.
Stress doesn't directly cause the disease itself, but what it can do is that it can increase the mortality rate of the fish. Temperatures around 74 degrees Fahrenheit can be used to track the disease, and it will allow the necessary testing and quarantining of your fish to observe if they have been exposed or not.
Preventative Measures: Depopulation and Quarantine
Depopulation is one of the best preventative measures that you can do, which means the elimination of your whole pet population. Although it may seem as a harsh method if you look at it, with this you can really ensure that you don't infect the other fish in your pond. Another effective method is quarantining. if you buy a new Koi, make sure to quarantine it first before mixing it with your current fish population (for no less than 15 days).
Quarantining your Koi means that they should be totally isolated from the others. Separate the water, tools and food you use for the quarantined Koi. Make sure also that the tools you use for them won't leave the spot where they should be used. Proper hand washing procedures should be observed in handling your pets and other essential items. If you follow these effective preventative measures, you will be able to protect your pets from the virus.
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