The KHV or Koi Herpes Virus is a deadly virus which has just emerged from the Koi industry. The first outbreak happened in 1998 and 1999 in Israel. Since then, outbreaks have been reported throughout the globe, especially in places like the United States, Asia and Europe.
Like most of the Herpes type of diseases throughout the world, the KHV is believed to remain with the infected fish for life. The fish exposed to the virus even in a little time are still considered as carriers! The mortality rate for the fish that has been exposed to this kind of virus would range from 60 to 80 percent.
These fish are very prone to the virus. To prevent your pets from catching the virus, make it a point that they never get exposed to it. Knowing the disease will lessen the chances of making your fish catch the virus.
Information about KHV:
Quite a bit of information has been gathered about the virus since its outbreak in 1998, and knowing the important facts about this virus can really help you in preventing it from spreading into your pond. Once the fish has been exposed to the virus, it'll always be a carrier for the rest of its life. Even with the right treatment, these fish shouldn't be transferred to another pond or habitat (you wouldn't want spreading the infection in the pond)?).
Take note that temperatures around 74 degrees Fahrenheit activate the disease (which allows for the testing to see if the fish really have the virus or not). Stress do not cause the virus, but it can cause the disease to gain a higher mortality rate. Spreading the disease will occur if the fish comes into contact with an infected one, if it will be put into the water where the infected ones swam, if it comes into contact with the tools that have been used in handling the infected fish, etc. Sad as it is, there is no cure for the virus.
Preventative measures of the spreading of the KHV:
If your fish gets the virus,the only way to make sure that you don't infect any other fish is by depopulation. This process involves the termination of your entire fish population. As cruel as this may seem, it's truly the best way so as to ensure that no other fish will ever catch the virus.
When buying a fish, it's advisable to quarantine the new fish separately from your current population in a period not less than 15 days. Knowing the exact temperature level which activates the disease (around 74 degrees Fahrenheit), this allows you to expose your fish to the right conditions for the virus to show itself. Those that live in this conditions for this given period and don't develop any symptoms have less chance of getting infected.
Total isolation comes with quarantining, and you should not allow anything to come into contact with your infected fish, especially the items that may come into contact with the current population. Use separate food, tools and water. Ensure that those tools you have used for your quarantined pets stay in the area in which they are used always.
Proper procedures in hand washing is needed when handling your Koi and its items within the same timeframe. These steps are really helpful when it comes to the prevention of the spread of this disease.
House warming gift | The word art or personalized name art pictures make a perfect gift for weddings, birthdays, house warming gifts or family as they can express a bit of sentiment such as “Family”, “Love”, and “Cherish”.