# Pond fish again



## Guest (Aug 15, 2011)

What the heck is happening one fish dead one fish separated as he's so bad that's Casper outbreak of fungus and what is going on with Caspers fins.:crying: his fins looked ripped not got full fins and black patches on them one of his side fins looks like Nemo's. Is that fin rot by any chance. Treated them for the fungus but need stuff for the fin rot.


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## MelissaHersch (Jul 7, 2011)

Luke's been looking into it, it does seem very strange. Have you tested the water?

Don't let it upset you, we'll help you fix the problem! 

Mel


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2011)

What I need is as much info as you can give me on the pond so I can come up with a treatment and maintenance plan. 

This means, I need a full set of water tests, a test of the tapwater, a photo of every last fish in the pond and basic details such as the pond size, age and filtration type.

If I lived closer I'd take some skin swabs and put them under a microscope. As weird as this may sound, it might be a good idea to take a sample of the sediment at the base of the pond and send it to a lab to check for any harmful pathogenic bacteria or fungal spores that might be residing in it. To find a lab, a vet might be able to help with this.


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2011)

I'm going to get the water tested at a place I discovered isn't too far from me will try and get a pic of all the fish including the one whose fins are being eaten away. The edges of Caspers fins are like a black colour too and these cotton wool like growths I was ready for the growth. Had treatment for that but the fins poor Casper is getting Nemo fins.



MelissaHersch said:


> Luke's been looking into it, it does seem very strange. Have you tested the water?
> 
> Don't let it upset you, we'll help you fix the problem!
> 
> Mel





Chillinator said:


> What I need is as much info as you can give me on the pond so I can come up with a treatment and maintenance plan.
> 
> This means, I need a full set of water tests, a test of the tapwater, a photo of every last fish in the pond and basic details such as the pond size, age and filtration type.
> 
> If I lived closer I'd take some skin swabs and put them under a microscope. As weird as this may sound, it might be a good idea to take a sample of the sediment at the base of the pond and send it to a lab to check for any harmful pathogenic bacteria or fungal spores that might be residing in it. To find a lab, a vet might be able to help with this.


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## davidc (Dec 15, 2010)

Chillinator said:


> What I need is as much info as you can give me on the pond so I can come up with a treatment and maintenance plan.
> 
> This means, I need a full set of water tests, a test of the tapwater, a photo of every last fish in the pond and basic details such as the pond size, age and filtration type.
> 
> If I lived closer I'd take some skin swabs and put them under a microscope. As weird as this may sound, it might be a good idea to take a sample of the sediment at the base of the pond and send it to a lab to check for any harmful pathogenic bacteria or fungal spores that might be residing in it. To find a lab, a vet might be able to help with this.


My sister has a microscope as she is doing a biology course at uni. If Danielle was to get a sample of the water, what should I or my sister look for?


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2011)

davidc said:


> My sister has a microscope as she is doing a biology course at uni. If Danielle was to get a sample of the water, what should I or my sister look for?


Does she have a light or an electron (preferably a scanning-electron) microscope? For many species of fungus and bacteria the latter will be needed.

Of course, it would be wrong for me to say that anything that wiggles under a microscope should be treated as a potential pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria or a fungal spore. Microscopic fungi come in all shapes and sizes, and identifying them may require an experienced microbiologist.

In freshwater environments fungal infections are usually caused by species from the _Saprolegnia_ genus.

It's easy enough to identify an infection when it shows itself on an affected fish by simply looking at the symptoms. However, recurring cases need to be looked into further to try and identify possible sites in the pond where harmful microorganisms might be reproducing.


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## davidc (Dec 15, 2010)

Chillinator said:


> Does she have a light or an electron (preferably a scanning-electron) microscope? For many species of fungus and bacteria the latter will be needed.
> 
> Of course, it would be wrong for me to say that anything that wiggles under a microscope should be treated as a potential pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria or a fungal spore. Microscopic fungi come in all shapes and sizes, and identifying them may require an experienced microbiologist.
> 
> ...


Thanks.
Just asked her, unfortunately it's just a light one, not the other type.


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2011)

If I find my testing kit before I go out tomorrow I'll test the water if not will get it tested at the place near me can't remember what it's called. Will get a pic of all the fish if they all play ball one who also has the growth is being a little devil. He's black so he may be hard to see but the one with Nemo fins you'll want a pic of the fins too I'm guessing. They look ripped not whole fins at all with black on the end of them.



Chillinator said:


> Does she have a light or an electron (preferably a scanning-electron) microscope? For many species of fungus and bacteria the latter will be needed.
> 
> Of course, it would be wrong for me to say that anything that wiggles under a microscope should be treated as a potential pathogenic (disease-causing) bacteria or a fungal spore. Microscopic fungi come in all shapes and sizes, and identifying them may require an experienced microbiologist.
> 
> ...


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