Koi may send out harmful pheromones in crowded ponds.
Pheromones are chemicals emitted by living organisms which produce a spontaneous response in individuals of the same or other species. Fish commonly use pheromones as a form of communication. However, they are also capable of releasing aggressive pheromones into an overcrowded body of water. These aggressive pheromones suppress the ability of the other fish to fight disease and inhibit their growth. It would therefore be useful for owners of popular garden pond species like koi to know remove these chemicals.
Instructions
Detoxifying the Water
1. A detoxifying conditioner such as Kordon's Amquel+ has been found to neutralize nitrogen compounds in the water, including ammonia, and eliminate toxic pheromones.
Work out your pond's volume of water in gallons by measuring the width, length and depth in feet of the pond and multiplying them together. Then multiply the total by 6.25.
2. Add a standard dose of Amquel+, which, depending on the size of your pond is the following:
5ml (1 teaspoonful) per 10 gallons of water
25ml per 60 gallons of water
200ml (one cup) per 480 gallons of water
400ml (one pint) per 960 gallons of water
Within five minutes of applying the dosage, the product will have removed chlorines and most nitrogen compounds and neutralized toxic pheromones.
3. If your pond has a pH level above 7.5, add another dosage after 24 hours to kill off any remaining ammonia and nitrogen compounds.
In regular use (i.e. without continuous water changes), the standard dose should be added at least once a week. The exact amount of treatments needed over time depends on the amount of crowding in the pond.
4. The same standard dose should be added for every change of water. Kordon's NovAqua+ should be used in conjunction with Amquel+ to condition new water. This product treats tap water that contains toxic metals from water pipes and helps to de-stress fish during the process.
5. If you prefer alternative treatments:
Regular water changes will dilute the biological mix of potentially toxic chemicals the fish swim among, but it won't do the job as well. The froth and scum that converges at the surface of the water should also be removed from your pond system. (See Reference 3) Occasionally, if possible, separate older koi from more newly introduced specimens. Young fish are less likely to have toxic pheromones.
A final solution to removing pheromones is to add potassium permanganate to your pond. This, however, is an expensive and possibly dangerous alternative which should be looked into first. (See Resources)
Tips Warnings
Amquel+ eradicates the need for regular water changes, thereby saving much needed water.
Do not introduce more than a single dose of Amquel+ into your pond within 24 hours, especially not a crowded one. The product, in rare instances, has been known to remove a large enough amount of oxygen to suffocate a pond's inhabitants.
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