This was posted on another forum today!
Quote:
I received this tragic email from one of this forums' members and I thought I had to post it for your comments.
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Subject: Re: KHV
Dear Sir,
Thank you for your sympathy, from another enthusiast it is appreciated. Unless you are a koi keeper I suppose it is difficult to relate to the trauma involved when one's pond is in the process of being obliterated.
As far as the infection is concerned, I am 100% certain it came from Koi Mecca, and more specifically from a Taiwanese import they sold me approximately four weeks ago. The only other fish introduced to my pond in August also came from them, it was a small Yamabuki Ogon which I used as a tester for my new pond after I moved house - he was in for two weeks, all was well and then I introduced my fish (9 x 35 - 40cm koi). Then I bought another fish from them about 4 weeks ago, put it in the pond and within two weeks my Cha Goi began showing accelerated gill movement and fast breathing, within a few days the new Taiwanese addition had died, followed a few days later by the small Ogon.
I called Colin Styles from Joshua Koi to come out and do a parasite scrape - he found nothing on any of the fish, but based on the symptoms thought it may be juvenile Costia. I treated the water with Malachite and Formalin and the following morning pulled the first of my large fish from the water dead. Within a day my Matsuba, by far one of my favourites, was hanging around at the water inlet and breathing fast, he died last Monday. I took him to Dr Marais at the Florida Veterinary Clinic and he sent away to MDS in Durban for a KHV test. I received the test results this morning and KHV was confirmed.
While waiting for the test results I have been treating the remaining fish with Acriflavin and Flumex in their food. On Friday afternoon I lost my Sanke and on Saturday another, more non-descript variety, died. I currently have 5 fish left in my pond, a beautiful, beautiful chocolate Cha Goi (the first to show symptoms, but at the moment does not seem to be showing and is still alive), a Hariwake who has been hanging head down for a week, an Ogon - who aside from the beginnings of what could be an ulcer on his back is eating and seems fine, an Utsuri who is infested with fin rot and fungus and stays at the bottom of the pond where I cannot see him and lastly a Shusui who has been breathing fast and resting on the pond shelf for a few days - I suspect he or the Hariwake will be next. All of these fish and the last four who died have been in my care for between 6 and 10 years - the Matsuba was added 6 years ago and was the most recent addition (aside from the two purchased from Koi Mecca).
I have tried repeatedly over the last two weeks to call Koi Mecca, to no avail - I have emailed them informing them that they may be peddling infected fish but have not received a response. I am very concerned that other Koi keepers may be subjected to the same devastating experience as I have been and am trying desperately to do something about it - if I still have no response this weekend I will be going to Koi Mecca to confront them in person. I would have done so already, but until I got the KHV result I have spent every spare minute buying medication, testing water, changing water and dipping fish. Given that I now have the result obviously all of this will stop as it is in vain. This month alone in attempt to save my fish I have spent in the region of R4500, although this is of minor concern to me when compared with the emotional cost of this experience.
On the upside, if one can see one here - I have learned an incredible amount, I probably know about 10 times what I did with regards to keeping these beautiful creatures, but I am also very angry, angry to discover that there are people out there who are driven by greed and have no concern for the living creatures involved in their trade.
I am very appreciative of your assistance and am grateful to have come into contact with individuals who can relate to the experience - although perhaps if dealers were more responsible, there would be fewer of us to relate.
Kind regards,
"Name of member"
Is this dealer a SAKTA member?
Will SAKKS allow this Dealer to sell his Koi on the National Koi Show in 2008 as they have stated in KOISA ( No.203) September 2007, page 23?
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Pieter
http://southafricankoi.11.forumer.com
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