Author: TheFishVet - Richmond's School of Fish

You know you’re obsessed with fish when…

#1. You own at least two aquariums, two ponds and an aquaponics system, and countless numbers of fishes.
#2. All large pots and planter boxes are fair game for turning into a pond.
#3. You stare intensely in every drain, river, pond or lake for fish. 
#4. You tell your friends with swimming pools, “You should really make it into a fish pond.”
#5. When you wife (or partner) says you cannot have anymore fish tanks.
#6. You own so many aquatic plush toys. 
#7. You can recite every line in Finding Nemo. 
#8. You must visit the public aquarium in any city you travel to. 
#9. You can stay staring at fish for hours on end.
#10. You never come home empty-handed after visiting the fish shop.
#11. You love marvelling at the variety of fishes at the fish market.
#12. The song played at your wedding  is “Unda da sea”, and “Kiss da girl” (from The Little Mermaid). 
#13. Your friends tag you on ever social media post that has to do with fish. 
#14. You spend all your free time reading about fishes.
#15. You know scientific names of several fish species. 
#16. You light up with energy when the conversation is about fish.
#17. You’re frequently having to debunk the myth of fish having a three-second memory. 
#18. You get a job working with fish.
#19. Your presents you’re given are always fish-themed.
#20. You get The Fish Vet out to check on your fish!

I’m afraid I’m guilty on all counts 😛

There are many fish medicines available over the counter for pet fishes. I often get asked whether they work. Most commonly, I’m asked about Melafix and Pimafix. 

It’s challenging to answer sometimes. One major issue I have is that many products don’t show active ingredients on their label. Examples include Waterlife’s Octozin and Myxazin,  Tetra’s Lifeguard, and others. 
Some claim their remedy cures all ailments,”

“With XXXX, there is no need for time-consuming guesswork when it comes to treating your freshwater fish. A unique, broad spectrum, non-antibiotic agent, XXXX treats the clinical signs of disease at their earliest stages in freshwater fish… attacks and destroys microorganisms that can cause disease in fish.”

Sometimes you can guess what sort/s of chemicals they contain, by their colour, smell and their claim of the range of pathogens they treat against. In terms of colour, treatments that impart a green colour to water may contain malachite green; blue may be methylene blue; tea-brown, tetracycline; and yellow, acriflavin. Then there are a great variety more that come in liquid, powder and tablet forms that do not stain the water.
As veterinarians, we are under oath to NOT promote, sell, prescribe, dispense, or use secret remedies or any other product for which we do not know the ingredients. We would not want to risk our veterinary registration to suggest such “secret” products.
The other problem is that, people are often using medicines without knowing what they’re treating for. So, if a medicine doesn’t work, it may be due to a lack of a proper diagnosis. For example, if someone’s fish has a parasitic infection, and they use an antibacterial drug, it’s surely not going to cure the fish. But to the person, they are determined that the deug doesn’t work, because the fish died.
Moreover, many people run the risk of being sold the wrong drug because of the opposites experience/s. People may be recommending you use this or that drug instead, because it has “worked for them” in the past. So, will it work for you? Your fish health problem is likely dissimilar, and using drugs without a proper diagnosis will surely end in failure.
Sometimes I’m asked what to treat with, without first performing diagnostics,“What’s your best guess?”

To which I reply, “I don’t guess.”

At The Fish Vet, we never guess. We diagnose and then treat – using medicines we know, and only those that we know will work in your specific case.

The Australian government has announced white  spot disease is now detected in southern Queensland

The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries is implementing an expanded movement control zone that encompasses Moreton Bay due to positive detections of the virus that causes white spot disease in northern Moreton Bay. The recent detections were found near Redcliffe Peninsular and Deception Bay. 

With the recent storms and flooding events, WSSV may have spread further than this.

See the link below for further information: https://www.daf.qld.gov.au/animal-industries/animal-health-and-diseases/a-z-list/white-spot-disease
Australia may face

At our recent Victorian fish speaking gig, we were asked alternatives to methylene blue and malachite green for angelfish eggs. We mentioned possibly potassium permanganate, and peroxide. Possibly increase salinity. In this article shared by our Bribie Island-based colleague, we learn that Copper is possible (see link).

A word of caution, that copper is more toxic under conditions of soft water and low pH. Additionally, some species such as the clownfish and elasmobranchs are more sensitive to copper than other species. Additionally, nothing beats maintaining optimal water quality, and so no drugs or additives should ever replace good husbandry. 
Check with your fish veterinarian before attempting anything different.

Q: where do fish keep their money? 
A: at the riverbank! 

With thanks to Snook Le.

Have a FINtastic week! R <+>{

There is a lot of conflicting information about how frequently fish should be fed over the course of a day. Generally speaking, the warmer the temperature is, the frequency and amount of food would be increased. However, when there are water temperature is too warm, feeding should be reduced, or even stopped.

As a general guide, fish in outdoor ponds can be fed in the following manner:

• >30 °C: Fish with higher oxygen demand (e.g. kois >40cm) should be fed no more than 2 times a day. Smaller fish may be fed no more than 4 times a day. Ensure there is good, reliable aeration at all times.
• 21-30 °C: Feed 2-4 times a day (even up to 6 times a day provided that the filtration can handle the loading and that there is sufficient dissolved oxygen).
• 10-21 °C: Feed 1-2 times a day, what can be consumed within 3-5 minutes.
• 8-10 °C: Feed alternate days, what can be consumed within 3-5 minutes.
• 5-8 °C: Feed every 3rd day, what can be consumed within 3-5 minutes.
• <4.5 °C: Cease feeding entirely. This is so that food will not ferment in the gut when the fish are less metabolically active.

The species of fish would also determine the frequency and amount to be fed. Fish without large “stomachs” (e.g. goldfish and koi) tend to be grazers, and so would benefit from more frequent feeding. Fish with distendable stomachs (e.g. many catfishes), can eat larger amounts of food, at reduced frequencies.

Many people treat fish ulcers and dropsy in fish, with a variety of medicines, including antimicrobials. With the increasing concern of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) creating these life-saving drugs ineffective in humans and other animals, it is vital that you get a definite diagnosis prior to administering treatments for sick fish.
Bacterial diseases in fishes can be treated with certain antibiotics, but may be resistant to other antibiotics. Before treating your fish, always ask a veterinarian to take samples for laboratory testing so that a diagnosis can be obtained and the correct antibiotics provided (or treatment continued). Treatment may be prolonged and relapses can occur when treatment is stopped prematurely. Patients will need to be monitored after treatment ceases.

Please note that antibiotics can only treat against susceptible bacteria. It will have no effect on fish diseases caused by flukes and other fish parasites.
Be aware also, that there are risks to your own health, and to the fish , if used incorrectly. Always consult your fish veterinarian when using antibiotics to treat your aquarium or pond of fishes.

Join the WAVMA on April 25, 2017 at 03:00 PM (PDT; 06:00 GMT) for this free webinar. Click on http://tinyurl.com/zqfl8vx to see the time in your local time zone, anywhere around the world.

Register now!  Simply click on: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/6232562251820282881  

About this webinar: This webinar will cover the start up equipment and proceduresof an aquatic private practice, along with our most common cases. Troubleshooting and aquatic-specific challenges will also be discussed. This webinar will be based on the model of Aquatic Veterinary Services, that is starting its 5th year as an all-aquatic private veterinary practice along California’s central coast. 

Learning Objectives – Participants will understand: 
1. What equipment, educational resources, and legal requirements are necessary to start an exclusive aquatic veterinary practice; 
2. Common aquatic private practice cases and best treatment options; 
3. How to overcome challenges of an aquatic veterinary practice. 

About the speaker: Dr. Jessie Sanders owns Aquatic Veterinary Services, an all-aquatic veterinary practice in Santa Cruz, California. Founded in 2013 as a mobile practice serving ornamental fish owners, it now offers in-clinic services with full-time staff, and is expanding into aquaculture. Dr. Sanders received her BS in Marine Biology from the University of Rhode Island, a DVM from Tufts University, and is a WAVMA Certified Aquatic Veterinarian.

This webinar is suitable for veterinarians, vet techs/nurses, vet students and veterinary practice staff.   

 Feel free to forward this announcement to colleagues.

Interested but can’t join the live webinar?  If you register for the live webinar and are unable to attend, you will be e-mailed a link to view the webinar at a later time.

Register now! Click onhttps://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5066799550005887746. 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Be sure to check out these sites!

AND we’ve added new videos to our latest YouTube channel –

http://tinyurl.com/thefishdoctor

​Q: What do cowfish sit on when watching TV? 

A: On a COWch! 

Have a FINtastic week! R <+>{