Words from a Wet Vet

I’m in Japan again to continue learning about the Japanese Koi industry. I’m currently in Niigata, generally considered to be the birthplace of Nishikigoi (koi) keeping and production. What began as rice framers rearing carp as an additional food source in small rural villages  has evolved into a major industry that rivals rice production and brings hobbyists and dealers from all over the world to this mountainous area of Japan. This is now an industry that really caters to the international markets. I’ve  read that 80% of the koi produced in this area are exported out of Japan. Further a thriving sub-industry has developed catering to the international koi dealers and their customers, the koi Kichi (Koi crazy),  that travel to this area every year to view and purchase nishikigoi, a unique example of agritourism. Below are a few images that illustrate the extent to which nishikigoi have become part of the landscape here in Ojiya city and the surrounding countryside especially as the local breeders and the small communities have developed an infrastructure to cater to the visiting koi kichi.

See the recent post by Nina Shen Rastogi at http://www.slate.com/id/2221024/.

Some other important points that I would also emphasize:

• Learn as much as you can about the particular fish species and their needs in captivity before they are purchased. This research might lead one to decide that a particular fish is not the right species for them to maintain in an aquarium.
• Focus on purchasing healthy fish in the first place. Learn the general signs that indicate a healthy fish as well as a sick fish ( I’ll discuss these in future posts).
• Find a trusted fish supplier that is genuinely concerned about selling healthy fish and educating his or her customers about maintaining healthy fish.
• Seriously consider utilizing a quarantine for all new arrivals before they are added to holding or display tanks (more about this later).

We can all do our part by keeping our fish as healthy as possible. We do this by understanding the needs of the animals in our care, demanding healthy well handled fish from our supplier and by practicing excellent health management while these animals are in our care. These are a few of the small, but important, ways we can work to preserve the wild resources by striving to keep the animals in our care healthy and long-lived.

Can this be a truly green/sustainable industry/hobby? If so, what do you think that would look like in 20 years?

Comments and criticisms?

We’ve been able to visit about 10 breeders in Japan,  8 breeders in Niigata and one in Hiroshima. Here are a few of my quick impressions/observations so far based upon the visits to these few facilities:

• Most all of the fish I’ve seen are very healthy and vigorous. I was particularly impressed with the 1 year-olds (tosai). WOW!!, No I don’t have a good eye but from a health standpoint they looked great.
• Those that appeared “off” were not for sale.
• Most common diseases appear to be Anchor worm and Columnaris. The columaris is generally a problem when the fish come out of the ponds and move into the greenhouses.
• Sleeping disease is also a problem. This  disease, which is not well characterized, causes problems primarily with 1-2 year old koi in the Winter months.  The fish tend to lie unmoving on the bottom of the pond. They will swim when stimulated.
• Costia can also be a problem at times.
• The government requires testing for Spring Viremia of Carp and Koi Herpes Virus four times a year.
• Biosecurity concepts are understood and practiced to varying degrees as we see in the US. Most breeders have moved to locked facilities, appear to have separate sets of equipment for each facility and all we visited have foot baths at the entrances (however, actual use seems to vary). few places also have hand wash stations.
• A couple facilities have quarantine greenhouses into which recently harvested fish are moved for observation and to await testing. 
• All breeders seem to be very concerned  and try to be conscientious about biosecurity. The level of practice is often related to the actual amount of fish trade (economics). More trade in koi results in more funds that can be invested in biosecurity. Fish  or ponds that are ill or appear off are generally isolated, pulled from sale, or moved from the holding areas until resolved.
• As we see in the US biosecurity requires constant diligence by everyone in each facility and throughout. Everyone must: Think Biosecurity, Plan Biosecurity and Act Biosecurely, 
• I’ll post some photos of a selection of facilities and some more information/thoughts in the near future. This was just a few quick notes. All-in-all this has been a great learning opportunity for me and I really appreciate all the patience from the breeders with all of my questions. I have seen some beautiful fish!!!

Let’s start with something I hope you will find fun.

About 15 years ago I attended a program called AQUAVET at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. This was an intensive program in Aquatic Animal Medicine. Dr. Bob Bullis, one of the instructors and the MBL veterinarian at the time, gave a lecture entitled Principles of Health Management For Marine Laboratory Animals. From his lecture and notes came some some important considerations for keeping healthy fish an invertebrates. This gave me the idea to develop some “rules of thumb” for the aquarist or budding aquatic veterinarian. Often it is these little tips and pearls of wisdom that aren’t covered in the books or formal classes. Over the years through my own and others experiences (good and bad) I have modified these into some general rules of thumb for the freshwater and marine aquarium keeping. This is certainly not the final word on this matter, I’m constantly tinkering with the list and, as always, open to suggestions. Without further ado here in slightly modified and expanded form are the sage words of Dr. Bob Bullis, MS, DVM.

Now comes the interactive portion. I imagine you have also have developed your own rules of thumb for keeping your animals healthy. Send them to me or post them in the comments section and include your name and state or country. If I add them to the list you will get full credit. TMM

THE MOST IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

• Water quality is almost always the central or contributing factor in disease outbreaks.
• Bacterial and parasitic diseases account for the vast majority of ornamental fish disease problems.
• Prevention is ALWAYS cheaper than treatment.

WARNING SIGNS OF IMPENDING DOOM

• Excessive accumulation of debris, uneaten food, feces, and other muck in the aquarium or pond.
• Sudden changes in water quality parameters (ammonia, nitrite, pH, turbidity, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, cloudy water, unusual amount of foam in system, etc.)
• A dead animal or an unusual amount of deaths among animals that traditionally do very well in aquariums or pond environments.
• Distressed animals in the system. This is usually indicated by unusual amounts of activity, inactivity, or unusual behavior. More on specific signs in fish and invertebrates in the next issue.
• It’s 4:30 on a Friday afternoon and you are planning on going away for the weekend.

COMMON ERRORS, MISTAKES AND MISCONCEPTIONS

• Failure to know your animal (its biology and husbandry requirements).
• Failure to quarantine new animals.
• Failure to allow your aquarium or pond to cycle before adding all your fish an/or invertebrates.
• Overcrowding the system. This will tax the oxygen supply and the filtration systems, increase traumatic injury, territorialism, and cannibalism.
• Overfeeding
• Failure to adequately rinse recently cleaned and disinfected tanks, totes and equipment.
• Failure to quarantine newly arrived animals or to isolate those undergoing treatment.
• Initiating a disease treatment without a proper diagnosis.
• Failure to rinse the dust from activated carbon, dolomite or crushed shell before adding it to filters.
• Failure to provide large aquariums with well supported stands.
• Failure to build in bypass and overflow pipes and screened drains.
• Use of copper, brass, or bronze valves and/or pipes. These can corrode, slough or leach toxic copper salts. Copper is especially toxic to invertebrates. Zinc is also quite toxic.
• Failure to provide proper substrates, shelter, or life support for commensal invertebrates.
• Failure to provide proper water flow and current for sessile invertebrates.
• Using plastics or sealers impregnated with insecticides or fungicides. Always read the label and when in doubt use food grade containers.
• Using toxins or solvents in or around aquariums and ponds (insecticides, herbicides, floor strippers, cleaners, even smoke)
• Failure to keep certain species separate (predators with prey species, aggressive species with timid species, introducing parasites with host species).
• Failure to identify the individuals responsible for care and maintenance of the animals and systems. Miscommunication can leave important husbandry tasks undone.
• Failure to check the water quality parameters regularly.
• Failure to observe and respond to declining water quality conditions.
• Inadequate nutrition do to underfeeding or an unbalanced or inappropriate diet. varied diet is always best. Monodiets are never balanced.
• Failure to keep adequate husbandry records (water quality, feeding, mortalities, disease, and other significant events) and failure to review those records on a regular basis.
• Failure to recognize or anticipate the onset or duration of reproductive activity. Misinterpreting reproductive activity as abnormal behavior.
• Improperly installed/maintained electrical equipment and outlets not protected by ground fault interruption.
• Failure to check pipes, fittings and equipment on the suction side of pumps for air leaks. Air supersaturated water can kill animals quickly.
• Believing that antibiotics will solve all your problems.