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Telephone : 0118 9760224

This page last updated : 21st January 2010

We have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and offers of help we have received from so many of you. Thank you all.

14th January - We have just been advised by CEFAS that the last batch of blood samples taken have all proved negative for KHV antibodies. CEFAS are visiting next week to supervise the pond steralisation required. Thank you all again for the support you have given over the past couple of months and we hope to see you really soon!

10th January 2010 - All ponds have been heat ramped again to 24c for 15 days and more blood samples have been taken. Due to Christmas and New Year and now the adverse weather conditions there has been a slight delay but we have been advised by CEFAS we can expect results of this second round of ELISA tests by Friday 15th January. We will of course post details as soon as we receive them. Koi conditions remain good with no further mortalities.

12th December - ELISA Test Results

Of the 23 blood samples tested there were 2 positives found. To explain - 2 samples were positive for the presence of antibodies to KHV not that they have KHV. However as a precaution and acting on advice from CEFAS these 2 koi have been euthanased and the owners advised. The other blood samples showed negative for the presence of antibodies.

CEFAS suggested we have now restart the temperature ramping process. We will raise temperatures to 24c and hold for two weeks and then take new blood samples in early January for a 2nd round of ELISA tests to be carried out.

4th December - We have today been informed by CEFAS that we should receive the results of the ELISA tests taken on the 23rd by Thursday/Friday next week

28th November - Up to yesterday we have had no further mortalities since the original deaths. This made the culling of the koi in ponds 3 and 4 even more upsetting. The CEFAS fish inspector arrived at 8.30am yesterday and we swiftly netted and moved the fish into anaesthetic. In total we had to lose 38 koi today which looked "perfect" but there was no choice.

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Our new stocks arrived on the 29^th October and immediately we began our rigorous quarantine procedure. All appeared well with the koi but on Wednesday 11^th November (the 5^th day at 24° c of the temperature ramping cycle) we had 2 koi die totally unexpectedly. The following morning we received an email from Japan advising a problem at a koi farm we had purchased a small number of koi from. That same afternoon another koi from the same breeder died and I immediately contacted CEFAS in Weymouth and arranged to take the dead koi to them together with 3 live koi which were sacrificed and the vital organs pooled into two batches for PCR testing.

We are totally devastated to learn the PCR test result was positive for KHV. A movement restriction order was immediately placed on us with arrangements for a CEFAS Fish Health Inspector to visit on Friday 20^th November. After a detailed check of our site, bio security measures and the condition of our fish CEFAS have instructed us they will euthanase all the koi in that pond only. As an additional measure we are voluntarily asking them to cull all the koi in the adjoining pond as well. Blood samples will be taken from our other 4 ponds for ELISA testing on Monday 23^rd November. Once these results are known we will be in a better position to advise our next step. To date we have had a total of 4 koi die and nothing since the 14^th November.

All our customers who had fish in our autumn shipment have been advised and their fish must remain here. We are posting this information as we strongly believe it is our responsibility as a koi dealer to be totally honest and transparent with such a serious issue as this disease. We know the rumours and suppositions will be rife but we wish to assure you that what you read here is the true situation with regard to our new stocks. We will keep you informed.

Geoff and Tina