Exotics Top Topics - Aquatic Pharmacology

Question 1

what entity ensures the health & safety of aquatic animals during growth & movement?

Answer 1

national aquaculture health plan & standards

Question 2

what are the different methods of medication administration for aquatic species?

Answer 2

medicated feed - often used for antimicrobials/antiparasitics

parenteral - usually only for valuable fish, either IM, intracoelomic, IV, or intradermal

topical

bath/immersion

Question 3

how are drugs administered to fish in a parenteral fashion?

Answer 3

IM - in epaxial muscle (lateral to dorsal fin), avoid repeated doses in one spot because it can lead to necrosis

intracoelemic - given anterior to anus/vent lateral to the ventral midline, position fish in dorsal recumbency with head down so internal organs slide forward out of the way

IV/intradermal - rarely done

Question 4

how are drugs applied topically to fish?

Answer 4

hold treated part out of water for 60 seconds to allow medication to dry

Question 5

how are baths/immersions used to administer drugs to fish?

Answer 5

need an accurate estimate of volume of water in tank/system

Question 6

T/F: uptake and/or toxicity of some drugs will be affected by specific water quality parameters, including pH, temperature, & salinity

Answer 6

true

Question 7

what government entity is responsible for regulating legal drugs for food fish?

Answer 7

FDA center for veterinary medicine in USA & health canada veterinary drugs directorate in canada

Question 8

T/F: there are very few drugs approved for food fish medicine

Answer 8

true

Question 9

what are some examples of drugs permitted in US fish food?

Answer 9

antibiotics - chloramine-t, hydrogen peroxide, oxytetracycline HCl

medicated articles/feed - florfenicol, oxytetracycline dihydrate, sulfadimethoxine/ormetoprim, sulfamerazine

parasiticides - formalin

reproductive manipulation/spawning - chorionic gonadotropin (injectable) improves finfish spawning

anesthesia - tricaine methanesulfonate for temporary immobilization

Question 10

what are ornamental/pet fish therapeutics?

Answer 10

non-approved but legal drugs indexed by the FDA that are ideally chosen based on culture/sensitivity or history of bacterial disease with many given as a medicated feed

Question 11

why are baths less ideal than medicated feed for ornamental/pet fish?

Answer 11

variable uptake with some drugs not absorbed at all plus risk of damage to tank’s biofilter

Question 12

what drugs are often used in a bath for ornamental/pet fish? which ones are not & why?

Answer 12

used - oxolinic acid, enrofloxacin, & kanamycin

not used - oxytetracycline uptake affected by water hardness & florfenicol/ceftazidime not absorbed in a bath at all

Question 13

what drugs are often given by injection to ornamental/pet fish?

Answer 13

enrofloxacin, amikacin, cephalosporins, & erythromycin

Question 14

what parasiticides are given to freshwater systems with adequate alkalinity/bicarbonate or in saltwater systems?

Answer 14

copper!!!

Question 15

what parasiticides are used in ornamental/pet fish?

Answer 15

formalin, salt, organophosphates, diflubenzuron, metronidazole, fenbendazole, praziquantel, & chloroquine

be aware of legal/environmental issues

Question 16

what antimicrobials are often given to ornamental/pet fish?

Answer 16

oxytetracycline, oxolinic acid, enrofloxacin, florfenicol, kanamycin, cephalosporins, potentiated sulfas, & erythromycin

Question 17

how are fish euthanized?

Answer 17

overdose of MS-222 with bicarbonate buffer

Question 18

what drugs are given to fish for reproductive manipulation/spawning?

Answer 18

chorionic gonadotropin (chorulon) & GnRH analogue/domperidone compound (ovaprim)

Question 19

what antibiotics are approved/allowed for non-food fish?

Answer 19

medicated feeds - florfenicol, oxytetracycline, & ormetoprim sulfadimethoxine

bath - 35% hydrogen peroxide, chloramine-t, potassium permanganate, & diquat

Question 20

what parasiticides are approved/allowed for non-food fish?

Answer 20

formalin bath, hypersalinity for freshwater systems, hyposalinity for marine systems, copper sulfate bath, & potassium permanganate bath

Question 21

what antifungals are approved/allowed for non-food fish?

Answer 21

formalin baths & potassium permanganate baths

Question 22

what disinfection drugs are approved/allowed for non-food fish?

Answer 22

formaldehyde, formalin, potassium permanganate, copper sulfate, EDTA, bleach (liquid or granular), & virkon aquatic (active ingredient 21.4% potassium peroxymonosulfate & 1.5% sodium chloride)

Question 23

what reproductive manipulation/spawning compounds are approved/allowed for non-food fish?

Answer 23

chorionic gonadotropin (chorulon)

Question 24

what resources can be used for reference approved/allowed drugs for non-food fish?

Answer 24

guide to using drugs, biologics, & other chemicals in aquaculture - american fisheries society

approved aquaculture drugs - US FDA

Question 25

what is the purpose of using agricultural lime to improve water quality for fish? what are the most common types used?

Answer 25

increases total alkalinity, decreases acidity, & increases total hardness

agricultural lime (calcium carbonate), dolomite (calcium/magnesium carbonate), crushed coral/aragonite (calcium carbonate)

Question 26

what is the purpose of using quick or slake/hydrated lime to improve water quality for fish? what are the most common types used?

Answer 26

rapidly increases pH of soil/water used to disinfect and/or kill unwanted organisms but not typically used when fish are present due to very rapid & high pH increase

quick lime (CaO), slake/hydrated lime (CaOH2)

Question 27

how is aeration used to improve water quality for fish? how is it done?

Answer 27

done to maintain adequate dissolved oxygen & remove excess CO2 and/or excess N2 when photosynthesis, water movement, & degassing alone are inadequate

done via airstones, agitators, sprayers, pumps, & paddlewheels

Question 28

what is the most common drug used for fish anesthesia in both food & non-food fish? how is it used?

Answer 28

MS-222

must buffer with baking soda 1:1 or 1:2 or sodium carbonate titrated to its desired pH to maintain pH

Question 29

what are the only food fish that can be anesthetized with MS-222?

Answer 29

ictaluridae, salmonidae, esocidae, & percidae

Question 30

what is used to anesthetize fish that isn’t FDA approved and illegal to use in food fish?

Answer 30

clove oil - mix of eugenol, isoeugenol, methyleugenol, & others

sold over the counter

Question 31

how is aqui-S20E used for anesthetizing fish?

Answer 31

active ingredient eugenol available under INAD exception & allowed in US for freshwater & marine fisheries with zero withdrawal

when used under the INAD in aquaculture/hatchery settings, 72 hour withdrawal period required

narrower margins of safety, left analgesia, & prolonged recovery

Question 32

why is isoeugenol not approved for use in the USA?

Answer 32

concerns for carcinogenicity

Question 33

what fish can aquacalm be used in for sedation?

Answer 33

hypnotic sedative indexed for use in ornamental fish only

Question 34

if drugs are not approved/indexed for use in fish, what are the 4 other categories it may fall into?

Answer 34

1. conditionally approved drugs - proven safe & manufactured according to CVM criteria that can be marketed as conditionally approved while additional data is collected to show effectiveness
2. investigational new animal drugs - drugs that are currently unapproved for any indication or for a specific unapproved use but may be allowed under strict protocols/oversight to allow for additional data collection
3. low regulatory priority drugs - allowed for use as defined by the FDA
4. regulatory action deferred drugs - not strictly FDA approved but allowed as long as the EPA use label is followed

Question 35

what drugs are included as low regulatory priority?

Answer 35

acetic acid, calcium chloride, carbon dioxide gas, garlic, sodium, chloride, & others

Question 36

what drugs are included as regulatory action deferred drugs?

Answer 36

copper sulfate & potassium permanganate

Question 37

what does regulatory discretion mean?

Answer 37

term previously used by FDA for use of drugs for non-food fish including aquarium/pet fish that do not pose a risk to the human food chain or the environment - although technically illegal to use, FDA will typically not prosecute if used judiciously within a VCPR