All about Fish Vetting – Dr Richmond Loh
Did you know that some toothpastes and beauty products contain microbeads, made from plastic? Original intent is to help exfoliate skin and polish teeth, but what happens to these plastics after they go down the sink? They are ending up in fish and birds! These are being banned in the USA.
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With so much rain about in winter, many will be right to think that it’s great for fish in ponds. It poured in Perth last week, and in Melbourne this week. All this water will dilute dissolved wastes, and top up your ponds without you having to do any work. All good! But is it?
Along with diluting wastes, rain water will also dilute your buffers. In cities where there is considerable air pollution, the rainwater can actually be a little acidic. This will consume your water buffers. The ultimate effect can be, that the pH of your pond water can become rather acidic.
My suggestion is to monitor your pH and your alkalinity. For goldfish and koi ponds, maintain your pH at neutral (7.0), and your alkalinity at 50-100 mg/L.
There are many mobile veterinary clinics opening up around the place. How do you increase your service capability? Having a good microscope can help you make a diagnosis right on the spot.
Check out this microscope with rechargeable batteries.
Available at https://thefishvet.com.au/
I can feel it’s coming very soon!
Thank you to everyone for liking and sharing and inviting this page
https://facebook.com/thefishvetdrloh
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Yours sincerely,
Dr Richmond Loh
DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology) Murdoch, MANZCVS (Aquatics& Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.
THE FISH VET, Perth, Western Australia.
Veterinary Medicine for fish.
W: http://www.thefishvet.com.au
E: thefishvet
P: +61 (0)421 822 383
Today’s interesting fish job was at the Perth Zoo. "Pepper" the koi needed a growth removed from her eye. Here I talked the zoo vet and vet nurse through the anaethesia, pain management, surgery and post-operative care. They did a fantastic job! "Pepper" is now recouperating, prior to be put back with her friends in the Japanese Gardens.
And as a reward, I got to meet Simmo, the giant salt water crocodile, up close and personal. I’m glad to say I still have all my limbs!
Follow me on: Facebook "Fin Page" – YouTube – Blog – Linkedin – Twitter
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Yours sincerely,
Dr Richmond Loh DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology), MANZCVS (Aquatics & Pathobiology), CertAqV, NATA Signatory.
Aquatic Veterinarian | Adjunct Lecturer Murdoch University | President WAVMA |
Secretary Aquatic Animal Health Chapter – ANZCVS.
THE FISH VET, Perth, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA. Mobile Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)421 822 383
Skype: thefishvet
The most common types are external pads and submersible heaters.
Under-tank pad-type heaters are liked by some because it’s out of sight, making it less messy. They’re not all that efficient (they lose heat to the base and have to hear the tank base, to heat the water) and are only good to raise water temperature only a few degrees above environmental temperature. It works well in a temperature controlled room, like an office.
Submersible heaters are commonly encased in glass. These are fragile. Some are encased in special plastic to make them less likely to break, perfect for boisterous large fishes. Some glass heaters may be fitted with a guard. Submersible heaters are thermostatically controlled and should be more efficient since they are in direct contact with the water. Place at an angle rather than horizontal to avoid fish sitting on the element and getting burnt. Not vertical because it’s less efficient that way, if relying on convection current to circulate water.
Delivery of medications for fish can be extremely challenging. Determining drug-dosing options for our domestic animals is usually fairly straightforward because they are listed on the bottle. Finding appropriate drug dosages for fish species can be quite challenging and often requires a ‘leap of faith’ to try something new or unproven for the first time.
Considerations for oral delivery might include:
Considerations for injectable delivery might include:
Considerations for in-water medication delivery might include:
Developing a rational therapeutic plan requires several basic things:
Once these facts are known you can:
Fortunately, I have made available, “Fish Vetting Medicines: Formulary of Fish Treatments” and “Fish Vetting Essentials“. The former will be your “little black book” that you’ll be referring to every time you need a dose rate for medicines used in fishes. The red book is to help you diagnose fish ailments.
Get your copy now, at thefishvet.com.au
