Fish Medicine Flashcards
What are the stocking densities used for fish?
- 2.5cm of fish for every 72cm2 of water surface area
- 2kg of fish per 1000 litres
- area available for oxygen exchange
What is energy used for in fish?
Not expended to maintain body temperature - used to maintain osmoregulation, pumping water out of the body that has entered by osmosis
What does it mean that fish are poikilothermic?
Their body temperature is dependent on that of the surrounding environment.
What does water temperature effect?
Metabolic rates and hence growth and immune response
What is the effect of a change in water temperature?
Rapid changes in temperature (over a couple of degrees) are potentially harmful to the fish
For many cold water fish their immune response is impaired below 12oC
What is water hardness?
Water hardness is a measure of the divalent metal ions present in the water, mainly Magnesium and calcium. Water Hardness will stabilise the pH acting as a buffer
What ratio will be a well buffered pond?
A hardness over 100mg/l CaCO2
What are the forms of nitrogen in ponds and tanks?
- In its ionised form, ammonium NH4+, it is relatively non toxic, but in the form of ammonia it is highly toxic
- Bacteria such as nitrosomonas in the water and on the surface of the filters metabolise ammonia oxidising it to nitrite, this too is toxic to fish
What is the effect of high nitrite on fish?
Skin irritation
Lethargy
Difficulty breathing
How is water treated to prevent or remove excess nitrite?
Partial water changes, adding salt to the water will reduce the toxic effects of nitrite
How are fish anaesthetised?
- Anaesthetic agent in aqueous solution.
- The fish is placed into the solution and this acts as an inhalational anaesthetic passing into the blood stream through the gills and in turn into the CNS
How are fish recovered from anaesthetic?
Recovery is brought about by placing the fish back into fresh water where then anaesthetic is excreted back into the water via the gills and to a lesser extent the kidneys
What is the anaesthetic agent used in fish?
Phenoxethanol
Or MS222 (Tricaine methane) a highly soluble white crystalline powder
How long can be fish be kept out of the water for clinical examination and procedures?
Up to 5 minutes
Describe stage 1 of anaesthesia.
Light sedation - slight loss of reactivity
Describe stage 2 of anaesthesia.
Deep sedation - total loss of reactivity except to strong pressure, equilibrium normal
Describe stage 3 of anaesthesia.
Partial loss of equilibrium - erratic swimming, increased gill movements
Describe stage 4 of anaesthesia.
Total loss of equilibrium - reactivity only to deep pressure stimuli
Describe stage 5 of anaesthesia.
Loss of reflex activity - total loss of reactivity, very shallow opercular movements
Describe stage 6 of anaesthesia.
Medullary - gasping followed by gill movements
What is assessed when observing the fish in its own environment in clinical examination?
-Where are the fish in the water? Are they near the filter trying to get oxygen?
- Are they swimming normally?
- Are they collecting round fountain, water aerators etc? (a sign of hypoxia)
- Are they rubbing against objects or the surface of the water? Parasites?
- Are there any gross lesions visible? Ulcers are the most common
What is assessed upon clinical examination of the eyes?
The size and shape of the globes
Corneal damage
What are the species variations in mouths?
Some (marine) species of fish have hard beak like teeth which may over grow and stop the fish eating, as this is worn down by biting coral in the wild
How should the gills appear in clinical examination?
Should be liver pink, but shouldn’t be pale or grey
What is assessed upon clinical examination of the skin?
Oedema
Haemorrhage
Abrasion or ulceration noted
Mucus samples should be taken
Pink blush to fins or other parts of the skin is a sign of septicaemia in fish
What is assessed upon clinical examination of the fins?
Parasites and damage to the fin membrane
What is assessed upon clinical examination of the anus?
For patency
What is assessed upon clinical examination of the abdomen?
Palpated for any abnormal swelling; masses or fluid may be identified
What are the diagnostic tests available for fish?
- Mucus scraping
- Gill and fin preparations
- Bacteriology
- Blood sampling
- Radiography
- Ultrasonography
- Post mortem
How is blood sampling done in fish?
- A ventral approach inserting the needle into the ventral midline caudal to the anal fin
- The needle is advanced until it hits the vertebral column then withdrawn slightly
- Alternatively a lateral approach entering just below the lateral line may be used
What are the routes of medication administration for fish?
- In water meds - antiparasitics, fungal drugs
- In food meds
- Gavage – place medications down the back of the throat but either large crop tube or syringe
- Injection
- Topical – to form a seal over ulcers to prevent fluid loss and to enable healing
What is the problem with in water medications?
It is not really appropriate for antibiotic administration as it will damage any bacterial filter systems. Many antibiotics are also inactivated by hard water
What is the problem with in food medications?
Antibiotics in the fish world there is often resistance to the antibiotics that can be provided in this form
How are fish injected?
- Caught and sedated to administer
- Injections are generally given intramuscularly, the preferred site being in the midline just in front of the dorsal fin
- An alternative site is into the flank lateral to the dorsal fin
Why is caution taken with antibiotic use in fish?
- Some drugs are chelated by hard water
- Care adding to water as will destroy the bacteria in filters
- Over use in the fish trade has led to resistance
- Ideally base antibiotic use on culture and sensitivity