Ulcer!! I think.

[Zeke Powell]

Hey.

I have Kohaku that has an ulceration on the belly. Also some fin damage or rot on the pctoral fins. The behaviour of the fish is good and doesn't seem to be in distress at all.

It's been there for a few months now and does seem to be slightly healing as the area has started to get a white film over it which tells me the skin is starting heal over.


Water quality is good the other 12 fish are fine. It's around 10". The fins were like it when I got it and I think the ulcer was there when I got it I just never noticed it for a week or so after first introducing it to my pond.

It doesn't seem to be effecting the other fish. Do I just leave it and hope it heals. ??

Thanks Zeke.

 

[Lisak1]

I'm not a fish health expert, but that's what I would do since you say it doesn't seem to be getting any worse and perhaps is even showing signs of healing. @Dave 54 will hopefully pop in here with some good advice on treating this - it definitely LOOKS sore!

 

[Marshall]

Wow poor little guy. I hope you get him fixed up but if Dave shows up he might be able to give you some good advice. Good luck.
PS: Maybe if at all possible you could quarantine him till you know something definite ? At least that's the advice I was given anytime one gets injured/sick even if there are no apparent signs of trouble to the others.

 

[Lisak1]

I don't think I would quarantine just yet - after all he's been in the pond for several months with no ill effect on the other fish and QT can be rather stressful for a fish as it is.

 

[Marshall]

I don't think I would quarantine just yet - after all he's been in the pond for several months with no ill effect on the other fish and QT can be rather stressful for a fish as it is.

You are probably right because I only have been keeping Koi for a couple years and only have 9 Koi so I don't do any of the healthcare for them other than feeding and treated an infection once so I was passing on the advice I was given just in-case.

 

[Lisak1]

You are probably right because I only have been keeping Koi for a couple years and only have 9 Koi so I don't do any of the healthcare for them other than feeding and treated an infection once so I was passing on the advice I was given just in-case.

In many cases I would totally agree with you. If the OP had just discovered the problem the first course of action might be to get the fish out of the pond to avoid spreading any potential infection to the rest of the pond. But in this case I don't think he can cause any harm by leaving it be until he gets some good advice from some people here.

 

[Lisak1]

Meant to add... we had a lovely koi with a big ulcer on his head. He had scraped it on something we think. We called him "Old Hole in the Head". We left him in the pond but fed everyone medicated food for a few weeks. The hole gradually closed up and healed over, although it was still an obvious dent in his head.

Then he got eaten by a skunk, so I have no further news to report on that fish.

 

[Zeke Powell]

Thanks for the quick responses. I think I'll leave the quarantine. I've got an experience koi keeper coming to have a look this week.

It's the only Kohaku I have other than a Tancho, so really keen to mend her.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

That does look ouchy. I would get some debride medicated ointment and bio bandage for the ulcer.

The redness is the fins is also a concern. Have you confirmed your water quality with tests?

 

[Zeke Powell]

Water quality is fine. All the other fish are perfectly fine. I introduced it into the pond already carrying the issues. I'm pretty confident the issues are not something that can spread to the other fish as it's been in with them for a few months now with no other issues. The fish in question has grown just over an inch in the time I've had it, has also fed and behaved totally normal. Which seems to be a good sign.

I'm just not sure of the correct procedures for nursing it or even if it will heal or not. ?

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Well you can treat the ulcer with the debride ointment and bio bandage and let the fish stay in the pond (obviously you would have to remove it from the water to treat it)

 

[Marshall]

Meant to add... we had a lovely koi with a big ulcer on his head. He had scraped it on something we think. We called him "Old Hole in the Head". We left him in the pond but fed everyone medicated food for a few weeks. The hole gradually closed up and healed over, although it was still an obvious dent in his head.

Then he got eaten by a skunk, so I have no further news to report on that fish.

Sorry to hear that such an interesting and tough fish got killed. I mostly raise and rescue aquatic turtles (Sliders, Painted Turtles, African Side-Neck etc.) and the Koi I do have are just my pets because I don't have the know how to care for a sick or traumatized fish like I can care for injured/traumatized turtles. Losing a animal from sickness. injury or predators always sucks no matter the circumstance or what type of fish/turtle so again, sorry about the loss of "ole hole in the head" . But I am sure Koi heaven is fun so he is probably having a grand ole time

 

[Dave 54]

Are you fromm the US side Zeke or the UK side of the atlantic please cant remember dependent on your answer is dependant on wether you can lay your hands on the Ulcer treatment we use here in the UK or not .

Dave

 

[Dave 54]

This appears to be an areomonas infection please note the other patches of red on the koi pay particular attention to any near joints tails etc
@C-Note If I recall correctly had ulcers in her pond over your side of the big pond and worked with some sort of ulcer bandage , here in the UK koi keepers in the kow use koi clear gell which in our view is just about the best ulcer treatment that money can buy you .
But the ulcer bandage comes a near second , not that you have infection just prior to the pectoral [this is the wound you have to get rid of before it gets worse otherwise it will cost the fish its pectoral .
The large ulcer like the smaller ulcersite needs all the dead skin removing from around the wound before treatment.
Looking over the koi further it also has issues with the pectoral fin itself as well as a chunk missing from the koi's tail.
All in all I'd start treating this koi asap .
I would also take alook at the pond to see if ou can identify any issues that may be causing the ulcer issues and recitify where neccessary. The same goes for the filters to see if they need maintenance, removing any detritus from the bottom of the pond also.


Dave

 

[Marshall]

This appears to be an areomonas infection please note the other patches of red on the koi pay particular attention to any near joints tails etc
@C-Note If I recall correctly had ulcers in over your side of the pond and worked with some sort of ulcer bandage , here in the UK koi keepers in the kow use koi clear gell which in our view is just about the best ulcer treatment that money can buy you .
But the ulcer bandage comes a near second , not that you have infection just prior to the pectoral [this is the wound you have to get rid of before it gets worse otherwise it will cost the fish its pectoral .
The large ulcer like the smaller ulcersite needs all the dead skin removing from around the wound before treatment.
Looking over the koi further it also has issues with the pectoral fin itself as well as a chunk missing from the koi's tail.
All in all I'd start treating this koi asap .
I would also take alook at the pond to see if ou can identify any issues that may be causing the ulcer issues and recitify where neccessary. The same goes for the filters to see if they need maintenance, removing any detritus from the bottom of the pond also.


Dave

I was hoping you would find this post and help this guy out. I felt sorry for the little koi when I saw the image but I did not know anything about treatment other than possibly quarantining the fish. Anyway glad you found this question and thanks for sharing your advice which I have saved to my archive in case I ever run into something like this with my Koi.