What does a fish veterinarian do to check the health of your pond? Join our chief veterinarian, Dr. Jessie Sanders, as she checks the health of a koi pond with an ongoing ulcer issue. What is included in one of your “pond packages?” All of our pond packages include water quality testing and fish physicals …
Watch our aquatic veterinarian perform a fish eyeball removal on a koi with a problematic chromatophoroma on his eye. This fish was unique in the fact that the other eye had been removed by our staff the previous year! Fish do just fine with one or no eyeballs, relying on their other senses, including their …
One of our most beloved patients, Lemon, suffered from a fancy goldfish buoyancy disorder. After correcting her congenital oral deformity, Lemon was not able to take in enough air to swim correctly. In order to improve her quality of life, she was fitted with a temporary float. Are goldfish buoyancy disorders common? Our office sees …
If you’ve read our other article on “How Many Fish per Gallon,” you know it’s not an easy question to answer, especially for a mixed species tank. However, for koi ponds, there is a much simpler answer: For each koi you have, we recommend 250 gallons at MINIMUM! What are you talking about? That’s way …
No, it’s not a fungus, it’s a bacteria that looks like a fungus! This bacteria has confused hobbyists for years, wondering why anti-fungal treatments don’t work on what is actually a bacterial infection. Columnaris in fish is a common problem that has an easy and straightforward solution. What is “Columnaris?” Columnaris, formally known as Flavobacterium …
Many of our clients have noted their fish jumping at various times and have wondered why they do it. But why do fish jump? Here are the most common causes of fish jumping: It’s feeding time and they’re excited. Just like your 2-year-old getting their favorite snack, some fish love feeding time above all else. …
What is dechlorinator? Dechlorinator for fish systems, also known as “conditioner,” removes chlorine from your water, making it safe for fish. Some also work on chloramine, a more stable chemical, formed by mixing chlorine and ammonia. Whatever product you use, always follow the instructions. It’s hard to overdose, but you don’t want to waste it. …
Dechlorinator for Fish Systems: What, Why & How? Read More »
Some fish are more prone to eye issues than others. Fancy goldfish with giant bulbous eyes are the first to come to mind, followed by bettas and koi. What is the cause of “cloudy” eyes and how can you prevent your fish from having permanent issues? Trauma – The #1 Cause of Fish Cloudy Eyes …
So, you’ve tested your water and found something off. Or maybe you’ve noticed a small slide in your previous recordings. How should you fix poor water quality without making things worse? Ammonia Too High This is the most common problems in most fish setups. As the primary fish waste, high levels indicate your filtration hasn’t …
No, not a cartoon character, but rather a physical descriptor. Fish popeye is another common problem we run into at our practice. What is “popeye” and how can it be treated? Is there a way to prevent it in your fish? Common Causes of Fish Popeye The #1 cause of fish popeye is trauma. Usually, …
A goldfish’s 10th birthday is something they rarely get to celebrate. For many others, this isn’t even half way through their lifetimes! The world record holder for oldest goldfish lived to be 43! How can you ensure your goldfish lives a long and happy life, possibly surpassing this milestone birthday? If you’re thinking, ‘why would …
There are many fanciful varieties of guppies, with “proprietary” strains being offered at almost every online site. Guppies are prolific and colorful fish, but beware when you search out these rare and unique strains. Like overbred goldfish, guppy inbreeding is rampant among these extra special varietals, so owners please be forewarned. Why is guppy inbreeding …
One of the most common calls we get from our clients is for fish with “fin rot.” Fin rot in pet fish is easily confused with trauma and general illness, especially in fish with ornate tails, such as bettas and fancy goldfish. So what exactly is “fin rot,” and how can you differentiate between this …
Here are the water quality ranges for the most common types of pet fish. Click here to find water quality requirements for more exotic fish species. Goldfish (indoors & outdoors) Water Quality Ranges Parameter Range Ammonia ≤ 0.1 mg/L (ppm) Nitrite 0 mg/L Nitrate < 20 mg/L pH 6.5-9.0 kH (alkalinity) > 100 mg/L gH …
Many clients call our office with concerns about “lump on my goldfish.” Most of these growths are benign cutaneous tumors within the layers of the fish’s skin. (Technically nerve sheath tumors aka neurofibromas or shwannomas.) It is very common to have goldfish with a few lumps, bumps, nodules or growths; whatever you want to call …
We will be closed for Thanksgiving weekend (Nov 26-29) and will open on Monday, November 30th.
