Mortified

[Dave 54]

Val and I are absolutely mortified today
When we went out to feed the koi this morning we found our new ochiba dead on the floor even more shocking the koi was covered in tiny leaches .
I picked off ten and have them in a sealed bottle waiting for identification by our clubs health officer .
Since the heavy rains weve been having trouble with green water so the leaches hace remained unseen , we are praying that these ten leaches are just the tip of the iceberg and I've never had to treat for leaches before .
Does anyone have any experiance in leaches and what to use to get rid of them this is a first for us
I'm thinking P&P perhaps to kill them all off but the problem is I'll kill everything off bacteria wise meaning we'll have to cycle the pond again .
I just hope and pray that we dont get any other jumpers this season, two is just too much of a loss to us

Dave

 

[tbendl]

Oh no Dave I'm sorry to hear that. I had leaches last year but since I drained and completely restarted my pond this spring I haven't seen any. I didn't do it to get rid of them, there were other issues, but I hope it's an easy fix.

 

[Nepen]

I'm so sorry Dave!!! Where did the leaches come from?

 

[mrsclem]

Dave- can you put some type of netting over the pond to keep the koi in?

 

[Marshall]

Is there any way to maybe add some sort of creature that might gorge on the leaches ?

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Is there any way to maybe add some sort of creature that might gorge on the leaches ?

He already has them, they are called Koi. Leeches are also a favorite snack of turtles.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Val and I are absolutely mortified today
When we went out to feed the koi this morning we found our new ochiba dead on the floor even more shocking the koi was covered in tiny leaches .
I picked off ten and have them in a sealed bottle waiting for identification by our clubs health officer .
Since the heavy rains weve been having trouble with green water so the leaches hace remained unseen , we are praying that these ten leaches are just the tip of the iceberg and I've never had to treat for leaches before .
Does anyone have any experiance in leaches and what to use to get rid of them this is a first for us
I'm thinking P&P perhaps to kill them all off but the problem is I'll kill everything off bacteria wise meaning we'll have to cycle the pond again .
I just hope and pray that we dont get any other jumpers this season, two is just too much of a loss to us

Dave

You can try a 'leech trap'.
1.) Start with a coffee can with a plastic lid.

2.) Poke holes in the sides of the can with a nail. Holes should be 1/8 to 1/4 inch in size. The nail holes should leave a sharp burr on the inside of the can (approximately 50 holes).

3.) Put about 1/4 cup of raw meat in the can (ground beef, liver, chicken or turkey giblets are recommended).

4.) Put the lid on the can and submerge it completely in your pond. A rock placed on top of the can will prevent it from falling over and will help prevent snapping turtles from tampering with it.

5.) Check the trap a couple of times a week and remove the leeches. Keep the trap in the pond until the leech numbers decrease, or you no longer catch any leeches in the trap.
(Courtesy of www.the pondguy.com)

 

[sissy]

SORRY DAVE TO YOU AND VAL .I have never seen a leach here and hoping your people can help .Oh gosh now I have heard it all leach traps YIKES

 

[Marshall]

He already has them, they are called Koi. Leeches are also a favorite snack of turtles.

Well I'm no ichthyologist but seems to me they are not really good at it...

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Well I'm no ichthyologist but seems to me they are not really good at it...

Maybe not in this particular case, but generally most fresh water fish eat leeches. Sunfish are probably the most voracious.

 

[Tula]

Oh Dave, I'm so sorry for you and Vall Do you think your Ochiba jumped because of the leeches on her? I'd try the meat trap Meyer suggested right away, as yo've nothing to loose, then wait for koi club folks to advise on another treatment. I wonder how the darn things got in your pond? So sorry.

 

[Mmathis]

@Dave 54 Oh, I am so sorry to hear! But I wonder if the fish died of "other" causes, and the leeches found the body afterward?

@Meyer Jordan I didn't have the "recipe," but I was going to suggest something similar, as they are attracted to raw flesh.

I'll occas. find a small leech when I clean filters. I usually don't do anything about them, but I may start now!! I was always of the impression that they were one of those signs of a healty pond ecosystem.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

@Dave 54 Oh, I am so sorry to hear! But I wonder if the fish died of "other" causes, and the leeches found the body afterward?

@Meyer Jordan I didn't have the "recipe," but I was going to suggest something similar, as they are attracted to raw flesh.

I'll occas. find a small leech when I clean filters. I usually don't do anything about them, but I may start now!! I was always of the impression that they were one of those signs of a healty pond ecosystem.

They are! Diversity in an eco-system must be comprised of both the good and the bad. Nature demands balance. What may be a predator to one specie will be prey to another. It is when this balanced diversity does not exist that problems surface,

 

[MitchM]

Very sorry for your loss, Dave.
I am interested to hear how you think leeches got into your system.

 

[Priscilla]

Oh my! So sorry to read this. Keep us posted on whatever you find.