Q: What do you call a group of old, wrinkly fish?
A: Fissures.
How many arms does an octopus have? Only six – the other two are legs!
Marine experts found common octopuses moved over the ground using their back two limbs, leaving the remaining six for eating.
What causes my fish to be swollen/bloated?
“Bloated” look alone can sometimes be misleading. Some common conditions with a similar appearance include being egg-bound, fat, having a tumour/cancer inside the body cavity and systemic bacterial infection leading to dropsy (where fluid accumulates in the body and their scales start protruding). Some diagnostic procedures your fish veterinarian might use to tell these apart include X-ray, ultrasound, palpation and fine needle aspirate of the abdomen for cytology examination.
If it is indeed egg-bound, you can try using Epsom salts in the water. For koi in outdoor ponds, you can wait till the next warm season, or use heaters to elevate the water temperature (gradually) to 22-24 degrees Celsius and maintain it for a period of at least 20 days. This will stimulate her eggs to mature. It’ll also help to have males in the pond to help stimulate release of eggs. Otherwise, by 20 days, she can be manually stripped. There is a hormonal induction method (e.g. injecting Ovaprim), but there might be complications if she’s injected too early and the conditions aren’t right. This is why such medicines are only available through a trained veterinarian. If it is a tumour, it may be possible to perform surgery to remove it. If it is a bacterial infection, antibiotics may be a solution if it is not too late.
They want to do WHAT with fish? Alarm raised over import plan for Australian Doctor Fish pedicure business.
A BEAUTY chain has applied to the Federal Government to import an exotic Middle Eastern fish to nibble dead skin off clients’ feet.
The Environment Department is deciding whether doctor fish can be imported for fishy pedicures which have become a fad in the UK, US and parts of Asia.
There are concerns over the human safety aspects of spreading diseases between spa users, environmental threat by the foreign fish and welfare concerns for the treatment if fish.
Is there a book that explains the science of fish keeping?
In a conversation with a client,”[I] have been trying to read up about the water chemistry… can you recommend a book that explains the science properly? It’s hard to know what’s correct on the internet!”
Why, yes of course!
Check out this book!
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Yours sincerely,
Yours sincerely,
Dr RichmondLoh
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.
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
http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)421 822 383
Skype: thefishvet
Fish Joke for Monday-itis: fish & chicks
Plastics polluting the oceans. Microplastics, another concern.
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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Fish are no dummies… fish have memories, feel pain and work together in social communities.
How does rain affect the water in your pond?
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.
Doing field diagnostics and need a good portable microscope?
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/
