Page 53 - Koi Net - On-Line Koi Magazine - Issue 78

Skin and Gill flukes
Skin flukes give birth to live young and can quickly give
rise to large numbers on the Koi. Although not clear in
the picture below, there is usually a visible embryo inside
SKIN FLUKES the Skin flukes and the embryo may also contain another
embryo fluke, so they are a bit like Russian dolls and can
ARE A BIT rapidly spread in numbers. The Skin flukes are generally
LIKE RUSSIAN spread to other Koi in the pond through contact. The
flukes munch on the skin and mucus but also inflict
DOLLS AND injury with the hook mechanism that is dug into the skin
together with a sucker to hold them in place. Skin flukes
HAVE EMBRYO tend to be located around the fin bases where it is
FLUKES difficult for the Koi to rub them off and often the damage
to the Koi’s skin makes it become thicker, giving it a grey
INSIDE THEM appearance.

Gill flukes have two pairs of eyes at the head end and lay
eggs which are shed into the water as the fish breathes.
Once hatched the juvenile Gill fluke is able to visually
detect a Koi and using the hooks at the rear end and the
sucker at the head, grasps the skin and finds its way
to the gill tissue. Once attached to the gill tissue, the
Gill fluke also feeds on the skin tissue, using the hooks
to attach. Determining whether there is an infection of
flukes on the gills can be difficult, the Koi may show a
coughing action, or become listless. Taking gill samples
may not always indicate a Gill fluke infection as some
Skin flukes if not treated species are very specific about where they will reside,
can rapidly spread to
other Koi in the pond such as close to the gill arch, or the tissue in the middle
through contact. of the gills (hemibranch) which supports the tissue.

Gill flukes lay eggs, and The next big question, how many parasites make an
once hatched the juvenile infection? The quick answer is if you are hunting
Gill flukes can attach
themselves to the Koi. around a mucus sample on a microscope slide to find
anything live or moving, there isn’t a problem. If the
moment you look down a microscope there are lots of
parasites, then that probably is an infection worth
treating but remember that White spot can be serious
so if you find it, then it’s probably worth treating.
There are many antiparasite treatments available over
the counter, which are all suitable to use to rid these
spring time pests. I would urge, if you do treat give it a
few days and sample again to ensure the treatment
has worked.

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