Have you ever been cleaning your pond, maybe pulling out dead plants, and smelled rotting eggs? This unfortunate smell is hydrogen sulfide, the product of anaerobic bacteria buried deep in the mud. Hydrogen sulfide is highly toxic to fish and can can death very quickly. Fish who are exposed suffer an increase in secondary infections …
Everyone always wants to know how to keep their fish system from becoming infested with some horrible disease that puts all their fish at risk. Well, it’s a lot simpler than you think! Quarantine. Quarantine. Quarantine. This includes plants and ALL NEW FISH. The stress of handling and transport is enough to make even the …
To plant or not to plant? As is the dilemma facing most freshwater tank and pond owners. Live plants can add beauty and filtration, but come with their own set of issues. If you are interested in pursing adding live plants to your system, be sure to read through the following points. WAIT! I was …
Most fish kept as pets are maintained in artificial systems; tanks and ponds meant to replicate their “wild” environment. In a “wild” environment, water flushes into and out of a system through streams, rivers, brooks, rain or the ocean. In an artificial tank or pond, water will come in and out at the owner’s discretion, …
One of the most important factors that comes into keeping fish in tanks or ponds is how many fish you can get away with keeping in one system. The tried and true rule is: 1″ of fish per gallon of water. Well, that’s great and all, but have you ever considered what 1″ of fish …
If you have any experience with keeping koi in large outdoor ponds, you’ve had some experience with algae. Controlling it is not always an easy task. Throughout your struggles, you’ve probably heard something about barley straw and extract. How does this work and what’s it all about? The Science Behind Barley Straw The exact mechanism …
Barley Straw in Koi Ponds – What's it all about? Read More »
Proper fish tank or pond maintenance takes patience to learn but is easy to master. Once you find a routine that works for you, your water will always be perfect and your fish will thank you for it. Not to mention all the money you’ll save on veterinary bills! – Identify the different parts of …
In every veterinarian’s career, there will come cases that try us mentally, physically and emotionally. For us here at Aquatic Veterinary Services, we have been tested by a case that we battled for almost 6 months. What started as a simple lesion steamrolled into a serious bacteria problem for multiple large koi. Princess, a 28″ …
Old Tank/Pond Syndrome What is it? This occurs in fish tanks and ponds with the following water quality parameters: pH: <6.0 Alkalinity (kH): <50 mg/L, usually 0 mg/L Ammonia: >1.5 mg/L Nitrite: >0 mg/L Nitrate: >40 mg/L The loss of buffers (alkalinity) can lead to pH swings and a pH crash. The low pH actually …
Are you a realtor? Do you think it’s extra hard to sell a home with a pre-existing koi pond? Well, never fear! We’ve written the complete guide to selling a home with a koi pond: highlighting their many attributes while finding solutions to perceived challenges. Click HERE to download your copy or read on! The Realtor’s …
The Realtor's Guide to Selling a Home with a Koi Pond Read More »
Putting in a new pond comes with lots of challenges. You built it perfectly with great filtration and put in the most amazing fish, but your ammonia is off the charts and you can’t get your filter to start cycling. (Cycling is the process wherein good bacteria convert toxic ammonia to toxic nitrite to safe …
At AVSNCA, we get lots of questions about water changes. How much? How often? Get all your answers in our newest article! Never heard of one? If you are a fish owner, you need to read our new article on Water Changes in our Fish Health 101. Right now.
Another new article for our fish health 101 section, this one all about proper quarantine procedures. I know quarantine is a pain, but please keep in mind… Quarantining your fish will save you time, money and lives. Maybe the lives of ALL your fish. Enjoy! Click here to read!
Hello fish folks! Something different for you this week: we just updated our Fish Health 101 page with a new article! Check it out to learn all about stress free water quality for koi owners!