Unfortunately, with the warmer weather which we have had this year, we have already been involved in the South with four KHV outbreaks. There may also be more in our region which have been undiagnosed. Unfortunately, this outbreak seems highly virulent and has resulted in high mortality rates in the infected ponds. We are therefore advising Koi Keepers to take precautions to minimise the risks of introducing KHV to their ponds.
The clinical signs of KHV can vary from year to year, but the most common symptoms this time are necrotic gills, heavy mucus on the body, intermittent periods of lethargic & erratic behaviour and a high rate of mortality. KHV usually occurs between 18°C to 27°C and only carp are affected.
Should you experience any of these symptoms, don’t panic as there can be other ailments which result in these symptoms. If you have a problem, it is possible to test for KHV, using the PCR (polymer chain reaction). If you need advice, give us a call and we can talk you through the events you’ve experienced.
Given that the weather has only recently got warmer, the likelihood is that the outbreaks of KHV will continue. We urge everybody to apply the highest possible biosecurity precautions when purchasing new Koi or dealing with your existing stocks.
New Koi should be triple heat cycled in quarantine before being offered for sale. In our opinion this procedure, along with separate independent quarantine systems, thorough cleansing of hands and shoes between systems and separate equipment for each quarantine system is essential for any Koi dealer or supplier to have in order to be ‘biosecure’. These procedures are already in use by many reputable Koi dealers and therefore it is still possible to buy healthy Koi. If you are concerned about buying new Koi and introducing them to your pond, we recommend that you speak to your Koi dealer first.
If you require any assistance or advice, please do not hesitate to contact us.
To read more on KHV please click Here
