KOI Tips:
What Does Aeromonas Look Like?
Aeromonas was once a dread fatal disease of
koi. Aeromonas and pseudomonas in simple language are
infections causing ulcers on the body of the fish which enlarge
and eventually kill them. It looks like a dark hole in the side
of the fish, red in the center and the skin inflamed around it.
It spreads quickly and was thought to spread from one fish to
another.
The truth about Aeromonas is that it is
ubiquitous or normally present in every pond! Infection has
become more manageable these days with certain precautions.
First is cleanliness. Take care of the water and the water will
take care of the fish. If there is debris on the bottom
parasites will thrive. Parasites are the guilty parties (i.e.-
costia, trichodina, flukes, etc.). It is these parasites that
provide an opening for the Aeromonas to enter the fish’s body.
Under normal conditions, with no breaks in the slime coat, the
fish is fairly immune to these diseases. And prevention is the
cure. Use an ultraviolet light, keep the pond very clean, and
check your fish daily for signs of stress. Install a bottom
drain if you don’t already have one. Feed fresh nutritious
foods. Do water checks. And keep the filter in good working
condition.
If you see sores developing on the body of
your fish, take three fish out of the pond, anesthetize them in
a small container with a very small amount of oil of cloves,
then scrape them to see what parasites are present. Treat
only for what you find. If you don’t feel confident in
doing the scraping, take the fish to someone who does. There
are fish vets available and some vendors are expert at
diagnosing problems. By treating without diagnosing problems,
you are simply adding to the fish’s stress by dumping chemicals
into the pond.
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