Septicemia

Septicemia is like dropsy in that it is an internal infection and kills from within.  It's like a food poisoning of sorts when bacteria gets into the internal organs of koi and goldfish and makes them sick.  Koi and goldfish can certainly die from it.

How to Recognize, Treat and Prevent Septicemia in Your Koi or Goldfish Pond

Septicemia is an internal infection and is hard to recognize and diagnose.  Bacteria invades the fish's internal organs and, unless the infection is cleared up, it will eventually kill the fish.  It's not contagious and often only one or two fish will have it.

Recognizing Septicemia

Septicemia has only a few symptoms that clue you in that it could be the problem. The fish will not act right - after all - they are sick.  They may lie on the bottom with their fins clamped, stop eating, get ulcers, fin rot and die.  These same symptoms occur in many other koi and goldfish sicknesses so how do you know if it's septicemia instead of one of the other ailments?  Most fish with septicemia will have red streaks running through their bodies and fins.  The anus might swell up and the fish might look "constipated". 

Always test the water for ammonia and nitrites before assuming your koi or goldfish has septicemia.  Nitrite poisoning creates red streaks too.

Knowing when and what the koi or goldfish ate within the last week may also give us a clue.  During the transient times between winter and spring and fall and winter the temperature of the water might plummet suddenly.  The bodily functions of koi and goldfish are controlled by water temperature and they are unable to digest food when the water is cold.  Any proteins left inside the digestive tract when the water temperature plummets could turn rancid and infect the digestive tract with bacteria.  This is one possible and probably the most frequent cause of septicemia.  

Treating Septicemia

Clearing up the infection is a must or the fish will continue to suffer and die.  If he will eat, feed the fish nothing but triple antibiotic food for two solid weeks.  He must be kept in a warm environment during this time (above 68 degrees F) or the antibiotics in the food will not work.  While treating him and feeding him this antibiotic food you should have him in a hospital tank that is treated with salt.  Salt will encourage his own natural slime coat to develop which is natural protection against all sorts of problems.  Excellent water quality must be maintained during this time especially so any secondary complications such as ulcers or fin rot will not become a problem.

Advanced koi-keepers may opt to inject the fish with antibiotics.  External treatments will not work for a fish affected with septicemia because it is an internal infection.  If ulcers are present you then would want to treat externally for them.

Emergency Procedures

1. Perform a salt treatment.
2. Begin feeding with triple antibiotic food.

What to Expect Next

There should be no affects to linger from septicemia but secondary infections such as ulcers and fin rot may pop up during or after the septicemia is treated because his immunity system is compromised during this time making it harder for his system to battle bad bacteria always present in any pond environment. 

Preventing Septicemia

Like with most koi and goldfish afflictions, a healthy pond environment is the key to prevention.  A pond can never have too much biological filtration.  Make sure the filter you have is sufficient (and even more than sufficient) for your fish load.  We use the ProBead because it gives us excellent water quality and low-maintenance.

Do not feed the fish when the water temperature is (or is expected to be) below 50 degrees F.  During the transient times when the water temperature may plummet quickly feed wheat germ-based foods and feed them sparingly.  Wheat germ has less proteins and is digested quicker and easier by koi and goldfish.

Keep bad bacteria at bay.  Don't line the bottom of the pond with rocks so there are less areas where muck can hide and collect.  Over time muck collections in the pond become a breeding grounds of anaerobic (bad) bacteria.

More Information About Mouth Rot

• How to Prevent Spring Disease Outbreaks in Koi & Goldfish
• Battle of the Bacteria

I

tems You Might Need:

Triple Antibiotic Food

Doc's Pure Salt

ProBead Biological
Bead Filters

Master Test Kitf

M-Wheat
 Koi and Goldfish Food
 for Spring and Fall

Fungus/Bacterial Treatment
Pond Fizz Tabs

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