Microscopy for Koi Keepers

By Rich Street

In an effort to assist fellow koi keepers to identify diseases and/or parasites I have located several resources on the Internet for you. Once you get a microscope and learn to use it you may find a whole new world to explore aside from your koi. These links are intended to be starting points for your self education and exploration and are in no way an endorsed of them or products they may represent. In the treatment of parasites you will see differing advice between websites, I urge you to consult with your local dealer.

Micro PowerPoint

General Microscopy

Introduction to Microscopy http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/intro/index.html

Microscopes and Microscopy general web site http://www.ou.edu/research/electron/mirror/

Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, a great place to find other links about microscopy and search for images http://www.denniskunkel.com/PublicHtml/EducationSplash.asp

Microscopy Society of America http://www.msa.microscopy.com/

MicroWorld: Resources for K-12 Education. Learn more about microscopes and microscopy at this jumping off point http://www.mwrn.com/feature/education.asp

Microscopy-UK and Micscape Magazine for those who want to expand their horizons in microscopes http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/

Koi Microscopy

General Laboratory Practices When Handling Parasites http://science.csustan.edu/pam/Z4440/LabHazards.htm

Choosing and Using a Microscope http://www.dph.nl/sub-article/cat-02/microscope.shtml

Preparing a Skin Scrape http://www.koiplus.com/microscopes.html

Koivet.com, if you search the site for Microscopy, you will find some tips for using a microscope for koi keepers http://www.koivet.com/

Using Your Microscope: Skin and Gill Scrapes http://www.dph.nl/sub-article/cat-02/microscope2.shtml

Fish Parasite Identification Kits are available from Brunel Microscopes (UK) http://www.brunelmicroscopes.com/Koi-disease.html (note: I have ordered from these folks and they are very responsive)

Digital Video Gallery of Pond Life from Molecular Expressions. See your favorite parasites in streaming video. http://micro.magnet.fsu.edu/moviegallery/pondscum.html

Nikon Microscopy U, digital video of critters that may be living with your koi http://www.microscopyu.com/moviegallery/pondscum/index.html

Japanese Nagasaki University information on fish http://www.fish.nagasaki-u.ac.jp/fish/fish_sci.htm

General (Diseases and Parasite Identification)

Parasite Images http://www.anicca.net/parafish/parasite_images/

FishDoc Fish Disease Movies http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/video/fishmovies.htm

Diseases of Farmed Goldfish and Koi http://www.wa.gov.au/westfish/sf/broc/fhinfo/fhinfo05.html

AKCA Library of Disease http://www.akca.org/library/diease4.htm

Dr. Johnson’s website, search the site for “symptoms” or “parasites” http://www.koivet.com/

Peter Waddington’s take on Parasites and how to treat for them http://www.koi-kichi.co.uk/parasite.htm

Pond Doc’s site on parasites and treatment http://www.ponddoc.com/WhatsUpDoc/FishHealth/FlashDance.htm

Identifying Possible Diseases http://members.aol.com/sirchin/identify.htm

AKCA Library of Meds http://www.akca.org/library/koimed1.htm

Protozoan Parasites, this site may not be very deep, but it has great images http://www.paru.cas.cz/Structure/Protozoology/fisches.htm

Tips for Retailers, see what the trade thinks about some of these diseases http://www.petlibrary.com/fwsw_retailers.htm

Freshwater Fish Parasites, an introduction by the Florida Extension Service http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_FA041

Fish Parasites 101, Texas Koi article on parasites http://www.texaskoi.com/Articles/fish_parasites_101.htm

Fish Helpline Microscope Photos http://www.btinternet.com/~fish_helpline/microscopic.html

Diseases of Fish http://www.aquaworldnet.com/awmag/diseases.htm

Diseases And Treatment Of Goldfish And Koi http://puregold.aquaria.net/disease/disease.htm

Diseases of Fish (part 7) http://www.aquarium.net/0497/0497_6.shtml

Aquarium.net, look through old issues for articles on diseases http://www.aquarium.net/misc/b_issues.shtml

Microscope Diagnosis of common parasite infections of fish http://www.ntlabs.co.uk/microscope_diagnosis.htm

Fish Parasites and Diseases from the Indiana Division of Fish and Wildlife http://www.ai.org/dnr/fishwild/fsmgt/disease.htm

Slides from the University of Manitoba http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/science/zoology/faculty/dick/z346/slideindex.html

South Dakota State University PowerPoint presentation on Fish Disease http://wfs.sdstate.edu/wfsdept/courses/WL423_523/DISEASE2.PPT

Vocabulary & Reference:

Dictionary of Science and Technology http://www.harcourt.com/dictionary/def/1/9/7/4/1974700.html

Standard Microscopy Terminology http://charfacnu.cie.umn.edu/glossary/FrameGloss.html

Aquaculture Links, more than you could ever use, but dig around http://www.fishfarming.com/links.html

Biology Links http://ists.pls.uni.edu/links/biology.html

Critters to Look For: (Protozoa, Worms and Arthropods)

Protozoa are one-celled parasites. These include species that live on the skin or in the gills, such as Ichthyophthirius multifilis ("Ich"), Cryptokaryon irritans, Ichthyobodo necatrix, Costia necatrix, Cholodonella cyprini, Brooklynella horridus, Oodonium, Trichodonids, Tetrahymena pyriformis, Uronema miamiensis, Epistylis sp, and Vorticella sp. Internal protozoans include Hexamita and Spironucleus sp, Plistophora hyphessobryconis and other myxosporidia, cryptosporidia and coccidia such as Eimeria. The point being, there's a lot of them and they all have names you'll never remember.

Trichodina

http://www.aquariumpharm.com/arc/health/diseases/trichodina.htm

http://www.anicca.net/parafish/parasite_images/parasite.php?img_id=2

http://www.cyberfins.com/rawdata/sickfish/010501.trichodina.shtml

Trichodina 01 (from the gill of a koi) (358 kb)

Trichodina 02 (from the skin of a koi) (112 kb)

Costia

http://www.koivet.com/costia.htm

http://www.notcatfish.com/health/costia.htm

http://www.dph.nl/sub-article/cat-02/costia.shtml

http://www.ian-graham.co.uk/fish/New%20Folder/UKAquarium/i_unicell.htm

Ichthyobodo - (Costia 01) (373 kb)

Chilodinella or Chilodonella

http://mac2031.fujimi.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Images/Ciliophora/Chilodonella/

http://www.anicca.net/parafish/parasite_images/parasite.php?img_id=5

Chilodonella 01 (315 kb)

Chilodonella 02 (430 kb)

Ich

http://www.netpets.com/fish/healthspa/ich.html

http://oscarcichlidfanclub.htmlplanet.com/custom4.html

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_FA006

http://www.fishace.demon.co.uk/nat4532.htm

Ichthyophririus multifilis (white spot 01) (376 kb)

White spot 02 (334 kb)

Oodinium (Velvet)

http://anicca.net/parafish/parasite_images/parasite.php?img_id=276

Worms: Helminths are worms that like Protozoans, can live in different parts of the fishes' bodies. Species such as Dactylogyris sp, Gyrodactylus and the Turbellarians live in the skin. Other species live internally such as Neascus sp, Clinostomum spp, Diplostomulum sp, tapeworms, Eustrongylides spp, Capillaria and Camallanus spp.

http://www.ian-graham.co.uk/fish/New%20Folder/UKAquarium/i_worm.htm

Gyrodactylus (Skin Fluke)

http://www.oie.int/eng/normes/fmanual/A_00026.htm

http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/science/zoology/faculty/dick/z346/monopisthohome.html

Gyrodactylus 01 (skin fluke) (378 kb)

Gyrodactylus 02 (skin fluke) (325 kb)

Dactogyrus (Gill Fluke)

http://www.umanitoba.ca/faculties/science/zoology/faculty/dick/z346/discohome.html

Dactylogyrus 01 (Gill fluke) (212 kb)

Dactylogyrus 02 (Gill fluke) (414kb)