Did you know that normally, when you need antibiotics for yourself, or for your pet dog/cat, you can only get it on prescription from your doctor or veterinarian? At the chemist, pharmacists can dispense antibiotics only if they are given a prescription by the doctor or veterinarian to fill. Why is there such a tight control over antibiotics? It’s because they are miracle drugs that help keep us safe from infections. Click here to learn more about antibiotic resistance and the importance of taking antibiotics correctly.

Although it is so tightly regulated in the medical and veterinary realms, did you know that you can easily buy antibiotics like tetracycline and triple sulpha, over the counter from the local fish shops? Why is this still allowed?

So, what you can do to help?

We all have a responsibility to fight antibiotic resistance.

This year, we’re asking consumers, policy-makers, and health professionals across the agricultural, veterinary and health sectors to band together to preserve the miracle of antibiotics. Whether you use, prescribe, dispense or provide advice about antibiotics, you can make a difference.

Pledge to join the fight against antibiotic resistance today!

Further info at:

http://www.nps.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/campaigns-events/antibiotic-resistance-fighter

With thanks to my colleague (Ari) who’s a member of the WAVMA, he’s shared this new finding. For a long time, HLLE has been a difficult to diagnose condition because of the multifactorial nature. New evidence suggests the use of activated charcoal is contributory.

And in another article, it found that the loose/powdery lignite carbon is worse than pelleted carbon.

It’s these new gems of relevant and practical information that I’m definitely including for my next edition of Fish Vetting Essentials.

Check out the abstract of one of the mentioned articles below:

Check out the interview here –
http://www.smallanimaltalk.com/2013/11/does-goldfish-have-three-second-memory.html

Dr Anne Fawcett is a Sydney-based small animal veterinarian and journalist who also lectures in veterinary science at the University of Sydney. "Small Animal Talks" is for veterinarians, pet owners and anyone who thinks about how they might improve the lot of non-human animals.

Q: Where do fish go to get some handy work done?

A: A watershed.

Tadpoles are commonly used in school classrooms to teach us about growth, development and the environment. Did you know that you can tell a lot about the tadpole’s environment just by looking at their tails? This report concludes that stressed tadpoles have shorter and taller tails.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/03/130305200204.htm

I learnt a thing or two about aquaponics by building my own and after attending an aquaponics conference in Hawaii last June. I learnt that five Australian cities occupied the top six positions in keyword searches for ‘aquaponics’, followed only by Honolulu. These cities have a keen interest in leading the way towards creating sustainable food production with minimum carbon footprint. This is truly an excellent way to grow vegetables and fish, and at the same time, recycle the water over and over again.

After examining many commercially available and backyard aquaponics setups, I have learnt that many aquaponics systems do not cater for the needs of fish. The Fish Vet’s system puts the health and welfare of fish at the forefront and yet does not compromise the productivity of plants.

The stand alone system is fully self-contained, is environmentally friendly and has a low carbon footprint because it is made partially from recycled materials. It is truly self-sufficiency made simple.

The system can also be customised to suit your needs.

Place an order today on page 9 of the shopping cart – http://thefishvet.com.au/shop/shopping.html

Follow me on: Facebook "Fin Page" – YouTube – Blog – Linkedin – Twitter

—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology) Murdoch, MANZCVS (Aquatics & Pathobiology), CertAqV.
Aquatic Veterinarian | Adjunct Lecturer Murdoch University | President-elect WAVMA |

Secretary Aquatic Animal Health Chapter – ANZCVS.
The Fish Vet, Perth, Western Australia, AUSTRALIA.

Mobile Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services for fish and other aquatic creatures.
http://www.thefishvet.com.au
Ph: +61 (0)421 822 383

It’s the pacu and apparently they may be lurking in a river near you!

Read more here

This is a good paper supporting the reason why some of us just can’t seem to get our plants to flourish, and why some aquarists who are into their planted tanks use carbon dioxide injection (provided that plant nutrients are also available [fertilizers and trace minerals]). So, if you want a beautiful underwater garden, you’ll need to invest in a carbon dioxide injection system.

Aquatic Botany
Volume 110, Number 1-2 (October 2013)
	CO2 availability rather than light and temperature determines growth and phenotypical responses in submerged Myriophyllum aquaticum
	Authors:	Ana Carlota Eusebio Malheiro, Peter Jahns, Andreas Hussner
	Author Affiliations:	no affiliations available
	Source:	Aquatic Botany, Volume 110, Number 1-2 (October 2013)
	Page Numbers:	31 – 37
	Available Full Text:	Full Text: Subscription Required to view full text Format: PDF Size: Unknown Location: Publisher’s Site Authentication: Publisher’s Site
	Abstract:	•We studied the impact of light, temperature and carbon on growth of submerged Myriophyllum aquaticum.•CO2 acts as the major trigger for plant growth, rather than light and temperature.•M. aquaticum responded to changes in CO2 with both morphological and physiological acclimations.
	Citation:	Ana Carlota Eusebio Malheiro, Peter Jahns, Andreas Hussner . CO2 availability rather than light and temperature determines growth and phenotypical responses in submerged Myriophyllum aquaticum. Aquatic Botany, Volume 110, Numbers 1-2 (October 2013), pp. 31-37, <http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=47E9A159ADBAE30672DA&gt;
	URL:	http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=47E9A159ADBAE30672DA

Q: Where do Danios cross the road safely?

A: At the Zebrafish crossing.

Once the virus was detected, abalone licence holders saw their catch drastically drop by as much as 90%. The virus-affected area accounted for approximately 32% of Australia’s abalone exports before the outbreak.

The Victorian Government has declined to comment, saying the matter is now before the courts. However, at the time of the outbreak of the virus, the current Victorian Premier, Dr. Denis Napthine, accused the then Labour Government of an “absolute failure” to control the epidemic. Dr. Napthine compared the epidemic to the foot-and-mouth disease of the abalone industry. He also pointed out that it would take as much as 10 or maybe 15 years for the industry to recover from this virus. Experts, however, cannot predict if and when abalone will repopulate to the point where the industry will recover.

Read more here.