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Koi & Pond Fish Parasite: Chilodonella

Chilodonella - "Killer Don" as referred originally by Dr. Jack Gratzek - this is the one that kills so many fish so fast in the Springtime. Treats easily with, salt. I have never seen an exception. Clears almost overnight, so salting save the lot of fish. Salt levels of 0.3% tend to be quickly curative. I'd recommend looking at the salt article in order to "do it right."

Chilodinella is one of the hottest fish killers there is.

Under the scope you may see a heartshaped organism, or a large round organism full of tiny bubbles. Alive, the Chilodinella resembles a heart shaped onion, with a fuzzy end where you could imagine the onions roots would be. These are actually cilia. Dead, Chilodinella are motionless round balls full of tiny bubbles. They may resemble Ich but they do not have a crescent nucleus nor do they move in their dead, rounded state.
Chilodinella clears EASILY with salt. Leave the salt in for 14 days, and be sure to supplement aeration, as gill damage d/t Chilodinella may be severe in the survivors. Chilodinella should be suspected anytime large numbers of fish are dying on the surface, or who roll over on their sides except when disturbed, the Koi dash madly.

Check out the movie



HELP! Sick Fish!
Twenty Steps to fish health. You LITERALLY can solve almost any Koi or Pond health outbreak with these twenty diagnostic steps and nothing's hard. But it's not "here's your pill" either. Downloads are available.
DrJohnson.net
More than koi health, this site spans all things animal, by a real veterinarian who shoots you straight.

Fishdoc.co.uk
By Frank Prince-Iles. A UK authority who put this site together some time ago and which is still relied upon as a major source of good Koi and pond fish information

If you need pet information AND Koi pondfish and pond information you might like DrJohnson.com which has everything from pet info, to vet info, to koi and pond fish. It has it ALL! Pet Information.

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