My fish has a bobo..

[Joylaine]

One of my white comet, (I think he's a comet, definately not a koi) has an ulcer. I don't want to go in and catch him for fear it will stress them all.And chances are I can't catch him.. I put sea salt in the water last night. He is swimming fine as if nothing is wrong.. Question is!!! Can the pond be treated as a whole ? I don't want to lose him.. He has been with me for so long.. I am going to get the water tested tomorrow.. The water is sparkling clean but we know that doesn't matter.. Hope it wasn't a preditor ... I'm not missing anyone so I'm pretty sure it's an ulcer.. Any comments would be so helpful...
Thank you..

 

[fishin4cars]

Joylaine, Salt is a good idea, 1 cup per 100 gallons or ,2%-.3% if you use a salt meter. Treating the pond as a whole, you can BUT, Here are the problems with that, 1- what are you treating? ulcers are caused from a number of different issues, so if you use the wrong medication you take a high risk in not actually treating the fish. 2 can cause serious damage to the bio-filter, many medications can wreck havoc on your filter, Then you WILL be stressing all your fish, not just the one that has the sore. 3 - how many treatments will you need to treat before improvement. In most cases a single treatment isn't enough. 3-5 treatments 24-48 apart is what is recommended by most medications treating with some medications could cost $$$$ to treat a whole pond and then may take multiple treatments. Lots cheaper and easier to dose the correct amount in a smaller holding tank of KNOWN size.. 4 If it is something that spreads the sooner you get it in to isolation the less likely it will effect other fish in the pond. netting it and treating it by itself really is a better way, yes it may stress, you and the one being caught, the other fish will be fine. you and the one with the sore are already stressed! LOL I would set up a hospital tank, take a solution of 50% Hydrogen Peroxide, 50% pond water and clean the effected area, then apply oxytetracycline (available at most feed and seed type stores like tractor supply) or BaytriI (available from a Vet) would then treat with medicated food for fungal infection. keep the water a warm 70-80 degrees and lots or aeration. make sure to change out 25%-50% of the water daily in the hospital tank and re add salt after each water change. this will help keep the sore clean and give it a chance to heal and not have to fight off additional infection caused by dirty water. As you can see, treating in a pond with a simple buy off the shelf medication isn't the best route. Leaving it be to see what happens isn't either, this could result in a breakout on the other fish and if you treat the pond and you don't treat right the first time, you take a chance on losing all your fish and best case scenario if you do actually luck up and treat with the right medication the first time in the pond, the chances are your going to see problems down the road with pond stability due to the medications..

 

[Joylaine]

Well now thats a mouthful.. So.. I put lots of salt in the pond again today .. (Don't worry, I didn't overdo it)... I am now putting together a hospital tank.. I will get the peroxide and something to treat her.. I live in a small town here.. Not easy at all to get what you need but I will find what i need.. Hopefully she will hang on.. To look at her, you wouldn't know anything is wrong.. She is the first up to be fed and swims like a fish.. LOLOLOL...

 

[fishin4cars]

https://www.gardenpondforum.com/these-red-spots-t8467.html#post76107
here is a link to another thread that is having similar problems.
I'm going to link this one to that one too. each is a different case, each could be totally different but they could be the same thing. Only a microscope and a proper identity to them will help. Honestly try to find someone, School, vet, Koi water garden club, Koi farmer, catfish or other fish for food farmer. Lot of possibilities!

 

[Joylaine]

Hi .
I was just wondering about salt. Do you as a rule put it in periodically or just if there appear to be problems with the fish?

 

[fishin4cars]

I do keep a low dosage in my pond through the spring, Then add if I see anthing that alarms me on the fish, Salt in low dosages helps the fish produce more slime coat. I've read mixed opinions on this from breeders to novices, Most of the breeders and Show koi keepers don't use much salt if any once they get past the spring start up and spawnings, After all that has settled down they will stop using salt unless needed. The thought behind that is they produce more natural slime coatings and then if something does happen and it's needed it's more effective. But I've kept many Goldfish and Koi and some of the fancy Goldfish need salt most of the time and there are plenty of us that use it in regular basis.

 

[Joylaine]

Thanks so much for that.. I think I will do the same.. I was a bit apprehensive but if it helps them with the slime coating I will do it.. Just want to make sure I put in the correct amount. I will follow your instructions as I have a 2000 gl pond so 1 cup per 100 gl.. How often do you put it in? If I did it this weekend, and keep in mind, I have a problem with one of the fish, when would I do it again.. Sorry to ask so many questions but you have helped me immensley..(my stress level is down ....)

 

[fishin4cars]

here's the tricky part, once you add salt it's there, From that point on you add only enough salt to replace water you change out. If you take out say 50 gallons, replace with a half a cup. Don't add salt for evaporation, the salt is still in the pond, Only when you do water changes.

 

[Joylaine]

Okay One more question ... I'm having a problem with the quarantine aquarium.. the filter is too big for it.. I read somewhere on here people are using big rubbermaid tubs with aerators in it? Is this sufficient if I need to quarantine a fish? Maybe you could point me to a link on this.. So sorry to be such a pest...

 

[fishin4cars]

Hospital tank with air stones will work, but you must check and change the water daily. I use a in pond filter box, get them at Lowes or Home depot. I keep one in the smaller pond and clean it regularly, If I need to set up a hospital tank I can add it and move it over very quickly. If I do use it for a hospital tank with sick fish then a clean it and disinfect it throughly with a 20% bleach solution rinse everything throughly, allow everthing to dry completely then rinse one more time before starting the Bio-filter back over. So far I have only had to use it twice, but it's there if I need it and if I don't it's just a little extra filtering on the 300 QT tank. I don't recommend these filter for normal pond use but they work great for emegencies!

 

[Joylaine]

Well more good news!!! My fish that has the sore is starting to clear up fast.. I also had a large koi flashing so I put some treatment in the pond that DOESN'T hurt the bio media.. I had my water tested and my PH level is at 7.. I asked about the salt level and he said 800 something? Not too sure what that is but now, no one is flashing,, sore is shrinking and is now brown and fishing are almost jumping into my hands to get fed.. I am a happy camper..

 

[fishin4cars]

:yikesu::bouncycig::bouncycig:Good news is always good to hear!!!!!:lol::banana::alieneyesa:

 

[j.w]

Yes that is great news for sure :nananananana:

 

[Joylaine]

thank you..
When the tester said I had 800 ppm's of salt.. What does that translate to.. My pond is 1800 gallons.. Is that acceptable???

 

[addy1]

.08% of salt per a conversion calculator so you are still in the low range.