Caused by Ichthyopthirius multifiliis. The white spots on the skin, gills and fins are individual protozoan cells that are under the skin and feed on the body fluids and cells. They then punch out of the skin and fall to the bottom of the pond, collect together and begin breeding, the offspring then re-invest the fish.
As well as white spots symptoms are scratching and swimming into the water inlet, failure to feed and lethargy. It is fatal if untreated. Fortunately commercial white spot remedies are widely available.
Summer usually means increased pond water loss due to evaporation, which of course leads to topping off our ponds more. You should always add dechlorinator when topping off the water level of a pond. Any amount of chlorine (such as that found in treated water) can be harmful to your fish. Even if it is not enough chlorine to mean immediate death of the fish, this chlorine can still cause harm to proper gill function.
