CHAPTER VIII. 



THE DISEASES OF THE CARP AND ALLIED DIFFICULTIES IN POND CULTURE. 



The cold-blooded, like the warm-blooded, animals are subject to dis- 

 ease. In most cases it is the result of bad treatment somewhere, or acci- 

 dent at some time. In discovering and treating their ailments, we labor 

 under the disadvantage of not having them under our eye to study their 

 case and the effect of treatment upon it. 



The indications of disease are found in the bearing and general ap- 

 pearance of the fish. In health the body is clean, the fins are clear, and 

 move with ease and grace, while the gills which supply the blood with 

 oxygen are a deep bright red. In disease the contrary is the case ; the 

 body is coated, or has protuberances of false growths on portions of it, the 

 fins droop, hang close to the body, do not spread out well, and appear as 

 if held together, and occasionally bloody streaks appear along the belly of 

 the fish. These characteristics of health and disease are not infallible, 

 but will serve the purpose of a rule. 



FUNGUS GROWTH. 



This is most frequently found in its early stages at the back of the 

 head, unless some other part of the body has been wounded, when it may 

 begin at the wounded point. It resembles proud flesh, and if allowed to 

 develop a coating of white matter like slime spreads over the body of the 

 fish. It may be caused, too, by impurity of the water. In this latter case 

 it will generally be found in ponds without much vegetation. As plant 

 life contributes to insect life, which cleanse the water of the bacteriae, of 

 which the fungus growth is composed, unless, as is most frequently the 

 case, the disease appears in cold weather, which arises from the same 

 cause, lack of purifying insect life in the water. 



Examined under a microscope it shows numberless small parasites 

 that are preying upon and irritating the fish. Prevention is the best remedy 

 and the only one that we have yet seen prescribed by any author. But 

 this is small consolation where the disease is present. By analogy with 

 similar afflictions in the human family, diphtheria, for instance, which is 

 a dread parasitical growth; we make the following prescription, which, 

 by the way, is one of the best specifics ever used for diphtheria, and 

 which, if you will bear it in mind, may save the life of some one dear to 

 you, though you found it in a fish book. For diphtheria give the patient 

 small and frequent doses of alcohol and water in equal parts. For the 

 disease in fish, wash the affected parts with salt water, then apply the 

 mixture of equal parts of alcohol and water. Another remedy is sulphur 

 applied to the affected parts. We have full confidence in the efficacy of 



