View Full Version : $600 koi surgery to remove cancerous tumor
hankn
11-25-2008, 12:22 AM
http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local_wlfi_West_Lafayette_fish_surgery_20081120_re v1#13182544-2
There is a video on that page as well!
DarrylR
11-25-2008, 12:27 AM
Crazy how a tube of water was able to allow the fish to breathe.
I would feel so bad if the fish dies after a $600 sugery :S.
lilim10
11-25-2008, 12:27 AM
Wow...I suppose koi are large enough and have enough personality to actually be considered a "pet" instead of just "fish".
excuzzzeme
11-25-2008, 1:19 AM
Size isn't the determining factor in qualifying a pet. That truly was educational!
SchizotypalVamp
11-25-2008, 1:22 AM
Size isn't the determining factor in qualifying a pet. That truly was educational!
I agree.
On the more cynical side, koi can cost $$. A $600 surgery may be nothing compared to what the koi was bought for. Notice the symmetrical markings.
Lol, Koi only living for 25 years.
-[AnThOnY]-
11-25-2008, 12:26 PM
more like 225 years :P, i actually did read something about a koi in japan that lived over 200 years
excuzzzeme
11-25-2008, 12:32 PM
Koi and most goldfish are related to the common carp. They are known for their ability to survive for many years and can eat most anything but they do have their preferences when variety is offered. Where my Father used to work many years ago they had a large Koi pond out front and the fish would come right up to you and allow you to "pet" them! They sure can be friendly.
Arakkis
11-25-2008, 2:02 PM
Yeah I've seen the surgury, it's definitely pricy but $600 isn't that bad at all. Though the major killer of Koi these days is vibriosis wich is probably the biggest pain to get rid of.
That is a beautiful fish! I dont blame them at all for paying for the surgery!
cam191919
11-25-2008, 7:20 PM
when it comes down to that, i would have done the same.
ChrisK
11-25-2008, 7:25 PM
wow what a fish I would have done the same
Rallysman
11-25-2008, 10:04 PM
That Vet school is about an hour from my house. They're constantly doing stuff like that. It's really pretty awesome.
excuzzzeme
11-27-2008, 5:13 PM
Yeah I've seen the surgury, it's definitely pricy but $600 isn't that bad at all. Though the major killer of Koi these days is vibriosis wich is probably the biggest pain to get rid of.
Sounds like a disease from a bad vibrator or leaking batteries. Now I have to go look it up and see what it is!:irked:
All I could find is how it pertains to humans and not fish although fish being the source of it.
joeski
12-04-2008, 6:05 PM
Kois are very friendly and they do have their individual personalities I have several Kois in my pond, they eat food from my hand and I am able to gently pet them.
fwiffo
12-05-2008, 5:58 PM
600 dollars for a koi's surgery...that'd be the day i do something like that.
BreellaBlue87
12-11-2008, 6:01 PM
That's not the first surgery of it's kind either, I've seen Koi Surgery on animal planet years ago... I can't seem to find anything on the internet about it though.
Derringer
12-11-2008, 11:00 PM
That Vet school is about an hour from my house. They're constantly doing stuff like that. It's really pretty awesome.
About 3 maybe 5 minutes from mine - great school, but usually its livestock not fish.... looking at the size I would say the owner has had it for years.
Lost a few comets the last couple of months - had them for 2 years and they were both at around 10-11" ... was very sad, but they were $3 fish I couldnt see spending $600 let alno $1200 for experimental surgery.
johnlarson66
12-11-2008, 11:15 PM
He got the surgery for half price!
Karla's surgery cost $600. Normally an the operation would be $1,200, but her owner got a discount because of the rare educational opportunity Karla offered to students
BreellaBlue87
12-11-2008, 11:19 PM
that koi, the article said was 3 and a half... either he was feeding miracle grow or someone got it wrong, she's too big for three, I'd buy 5 years old
pam916
12-12-2008, 2:09 AM
that koi, the article said was 3 and a half... either he was feeding miracle grow or someone got it wrong, she's too big for three, I'd buy 5 years old
The news media regularly gets details like that incorrect. They also said that koi live to be 25 when it is a proven fact that they can live much longer.
captmicha
02-19-2009, 12:34 AM
I've seen Koi Surgery on animal planet years ago...
Yeah, I did too! I was keeping it in mind incase any of my fish needed something done. Knock them out with some clove oil, put a tube in it's mouth connected to a water pump pumping out highly oxygenated water and then operate. Obviously not for any internal surgeries, just external.
OldMan47
02-20-2009, 8:54 PM
I was just at a fish club meeting 2 weeks ago where the main speaker type thing was a surgery on the spot for a 5 inch goldfish with a swim bladder problem. The swim bladder was all stretched out of shape and making the fish swim upside down all the time. All the simpler cures had already been tried and it turns out one of the club members is a veterinary surgeon. It was quite something to see someone actually not just put down a suffering goldfish but have something done to fix him instead. Reports from the next week were that he is recovering nicely and no longer spending all his time on his back. They did not use clove oil but used a proper anesthetic instead.
captmicha
02-21-2009, 1:36 AM
Or, I would buy a proper anesthetic. I thought this was a good article: http://www.petplace.com/fish/anesthesia-in-fish/page1.aspx
In the May 2008 issue of TFH pg. 116, they published an article about surgery on a 7 year old show koi. The anethesia they used was Tricaine methanesulfonate, vet use only.