Page 17 - BKKS National Show Programme 2018 highres_Neat
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Taking advice                                            angler take precautions before going fishing again. It is also
                                                                   possible he introduced the disease to Scott‘s pond and with
          Scott rang my laboratory and his description of the      KHV confirmed he could infect a fishing lake or river unless
          appearance and behaviour of his sick fish suggested      he sterilises his net. The fish keeper who used his own
          several causes. It is impossible to diagnose correctly   nets, Koi socks and bowl fortunately had not needed them
          without an examination and on arrival in my facilities the   in his pond and he has been given an appropriate product
          Sanke was in a moribund state and whilst dying and beyond   to sterilise them. Viruses are complex pathogens, they
          treatment it was suitable for examination. I was aware of   mutate to complicate their study, and there are now several
          the origins of Scott’s fish and they had all been purchased   strains of KHV and outbreaks can differ. The disease is
          from one biosecure specialist Koi dealer. Biosecurity is a   changing and research has proven that the virus has certain
          misunderstood  term  and whilst my company has tried     capabilities that will in the near future alter the current
          to create a standardised  approach to the  preparation    perception of KHV although such details are for another
          of  Koi for sale  there are  dealers  that  do not have   article.
          the  appropriate facilities or  are  unable  to conform to a
          protocol  that  makes them  fully  biosecure. However, in   Prevention
          this case Scott’s supplier was one of the best dealers in the
          country. Scott not only brought a fish to the laboratory he   Scott being a careful Koi-keeper was well aware that
          supplied water samples and a list of the materials used in   lamination materials could be a health risk to his Koi so
          the repair work. As Scott outlined  everything  his fish had   he had asked questions. When his fish became ill, he still
          been subjected to  there were  risk factors that had to be   suspected the product used in the repair and whilst this
          eliminated , however,  until my examination was  complete    was the focus of his concern if applied correctly, fibreglass
          I was not going to speculate as that  either raises hope or   is fish safe. Cases in which the actual materials have been
          deepens concern.                                         harmful to fish are invariably due to bad workmanship.
                                                                   Martin and Harry are professionals in the lamination industry
          Pathology                                                not the aquatic industry. If a professional pond construction
                                                                   company carried out the pond repair, the outcome might
          It was obvious Scott had anticipated many of the pitfalls   have been different as those that work in aquatics are more
          Koi keepers encounter when their pond develops a leak    likely to be aware of the need for hygiene measures with
          .However, once the examination was complete, it was my   equipment. Nevertheless, everyone who helped Scott had
          sad task to tell Scott that his fish had contracted a strain   the very best of motives and that has never been in doubt.
          of Koi Herpesvirus commonly known as KHV. He was
          naturally extremely shocked and we discussed all the ways   Robust Fibreglass
          in which the disease could have found its way into his pond
          to devastate his pet Koi collection. I noted he had several   Harry wondered how such a lengthy hairline crack occurred
          helpers during the repair project and I questioned the   in the fibreglass, as it is a highly durable and safe pond
          sources of the equipment they used in his pond, as it was   construction material. I cannot be certain in Scott’s
          unlikely they all had ponds. I advised him how to care for his   situation, however, having been involved in  similar cases
          Koi as the disease progresses and suggested he kept busy   considerable  damage to ponds  has  been traced to the
          investigating all the items used to take his mind off his Koi.  type of  heavy machinery  used in large building  projects
                                                                   and not  always  in close proximity to the damaged pond.
          Gathering facts                                          Fish health problems have resulted and litigation has forced
                                                                   construction companies to protect Koi ponds before building
          Scott discovered that he had been preoccupied when       can continue. In other cases, building contractors have
          dealing with a family issue and   Martin had hired nets, Koi   paid for Koi to be housed elsewhere in temporary facilities
          bowls, and a water pump to empty the pond faster from    and that is far from ideal for Koi keepers let alone their pet
          the aquatic centre that supplied the vats and he had not   fish due to the stress such an upheaval can cause. What
          remembered this. Most of the helpers had used the hired   happened to Scott is a rare event although it serves as
          nets and other items although one had brought their own   an example of what can happen to the most careful Koi
          different sized nets and two Koi socks. A local angler also   keeper. Scott is still a hobbyist as fortunately, he had many
          lent a hand thankfully leaving his rod at home although we   survivors, and despite being carriers of KHV he can keep
          learned his keep-net was in the pond for hours when the   them as long as he never gives any away and never lends
          Koi were being netted. Scott also found out that Harry had a   anyone his pond equipment.
          wildlife pond and he too had used his own net. Scott puzzled
          over why I wanted to trace everyone and I explained that   Other Precautions
          there are far wider issues than he realises in how fish
          diseases are spread irrespective of what the primary hosts   In this case, disease was introduced on pond equipment
          for any specific disease might be.                       and having spoken to those involved the source has been
                                                                   traced and further cases eliminated. The most common
          Contacting helpers                                       cause of disease outbreaks is through the purchase of
                                                                   unquarantined Koi or those whose origins are unknown such
          There are numerous areas to consider when dealing with   as Internet sales. Even a fish from someone else’s pond no
          a virus, as Scott soon understood when I stopped him     matter how healthy it appears can spread disease. Pond
          from putting his Goldfish in his father’s pond. He felt they   maintenance companies are employed to clean ponds and
          would be happier as they were healthy and his Koi were   filters and staff cannot be expected to be aware of all the
          still recovering from disease. He now appreciates that   potential risks posed by their equipment. Pond vacuums and
          after a KHV outbreak all fish species should remain in their   nets may go into several ponds a day and whilst the better
          home pond with the Koi that survive. Whilst there are fish   companies wash equipment between ponds, such methods
          species that are not susceptible to KHV, anyone involved   are not adequate to deal with every type of disease. The
          with Scott’s pond that has contact with any fish species   safe approach is for Koi keepers to invest in a pond vacuum
          needs to be aware of factors regarding the biology of KHV.   and if unable to carry out maintenance personally for any
          It is vital that the aquatic outlet that supplied equipment is   reason they can still ensure that only the equipment they
          contacted. They could be the source of the disease via the   have provided is used.
          hired items and if innocent, they need to sterilise all the
          equipment Scott returned. It is also very important that the
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     BKKS National Show Programme 2018.indd   17                                                               07/06/2018   12:38
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