The Fish Vet's Blog

I’ve uploaded some pictures from Seavet Clinical Medicine to my Facebook Fanpage just to make you jealous 🙂

Follow this link – http://www.tinyurl.com/seavet

It’s pretty much, aquatic veterinary medicine dealing with display and wild, bony fish, rays, sharks, sea turtles, penguins, pinnipeds, cetaceans and manatees; their behaviour, husbandry, diseases, diagnosis, medicine, rehabilitation and strandings.

This fact-finding trip was made possible through the George Alexander Foundation International Fellowship awarded by the International Specialised Skills Institute.

Check out the list of links accumulated by the World Aquatic Veterinary Medical Association here

http://www.wavma.org/Links-of-interest-to-aquatic-veterinarians

Checkout what you can grow just on your bench top!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/arielknutson/vegetables-that-magically-regrow-themselves?s=mobile

Like it? Would you like to stock some in your aquarium store? Email thefishvet@gmail.com with your address.

This job opportunity was shared by my colleague, Dr Rob Ossiboff.

JOB SUMMARY:
The Vice President of Animal Care provides overall leadership for the Aquarium’s husbandry and animal care programs (Fishes, Mammals, Animal Health, Rescue, Husbandry), and serves as an advocate for animal care across the institution. This includes developing a vision for animal care within the context of the Aquarium’s mission, overseeing collection planning and regulatory compliance, coordinating efforts across program areas, and providing oversight for relevant departments. The VP reports to the COO for operations and the CEO for animal welfare issues."

QUALIFICATIONS
Minimum Training and Experience
• Bachelor’s degree in marine sciences, biology, zoology or related fields.
• Masters Degree in related field or Veterinary Degree desirable.
• 8-10 years experience in staff and operations management at a senior level.
• 5-8 years hands-on and/or direct supervisory experience working with aquatic animals.
• Driver’s License and SCUBA Certification desirable

Visit NEAQ.org for more info/apply

1 Central Wharf
Boston, MA 02110

USA

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—
Yours sincerely,

Dr Richmond Loh DipProjMgt, BSc, BVMS, MPhil (Pathology) Murdoch, MANZCVS (Aquatics & Pathobiology).
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

Looking for more books? Check out this site.

Q: What did the pet hermit crab say to the new arrival?

 

A: Long time no sea.

I wonder what it is about water depth that can reduce infestation intensity by up to 95%. Is it the distance from the light, cooler water, or what? Interesting article, but brings up more questions than answers.

Aquaculture
Volume 403, Number 1-4 (July 2013)
	Diurnal pattern of skin fluke infection in cultured amberjack, Seriola dumerili, at different water depths
	Authors:	Sho Shirakashi, Chihaya Hirano, Hiroe Ishitani, Katsuya Ishimaru
	Author Affiliations:	no affiliations available
	Source:	Aquaculture, Volume 403, Number 1-4 (July 2013)
	Page Numbers:	19 – 23
	Available Full Text:	Full Text: Subscription Required to view full text Format: PDF Size: Unknown Location: Publisher’s Site Authentication: Publisher’s Site
	Abstract:	Skin fluke infection is a major parasitic problem in the aquaculture industry. Present control measures such as bath treatments are effective for removing flukes from fish but require extensive labour and time. Moreover, bath treatments cause great stress to the fish, and occasionally lead to post-treatment mortality. Our ultimate goal is to develop a culture technique that prevents or lowers the chance of fish encountering larval skin flukes, thus reducing infection. However, little is known about when and where these infections occur on fish farms. We conducted a field experiment at a culture site to determine the diurnal pattern of skin fluke infection at different water depths. Juvenile amberjack, Seriola dumerili, were placed in enclosed mesh cages and exposed to skin flukes at depths of 0, 2 or 4m for 4h during different times of the day. A Neobenedenia girellae infection occurred predominantly at the surface during the mid-day. The infection rate declined considerably during the night. The parasite burden was significantly decreased with water depth, and up to an 80% and 95% reduction in intensities was observed when fish were exposed at a depth of 2 and 4m, respectively. These results suggest that skin fluke infection can be significantly reduced by systematic management strategy and modification of culture techniques.
	Citation:	Sho Shirakashi, Chihaya Hirano, Hiroe Ishitani, Katsuya Ishimaru . Diurnal pattern of skin fluke infection in cultured amberjack, Seriola dumerili, at different water depths. Aquaculture, Volume 403, Numbers 1-4 (July 2013), pp. 19-23, <http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=4C74857AD4BA90B1A7D5&gt;
	URL:	http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=4C74857AD4BA90B1A7D5

One of the limiting factors that prevents a direct technology transfer from hydroponics to aquaponics is the high level of suspended solids that can clog up the narrow diameter water lines, particularly for the NFT (nutrient film technique) method of hydroponics. Good water filtration and solids removal could fix this problem. Check out the findings in this paper.

Journal of the World Aquaculture Society
Volume 44, Number 3 (June 2013)
	Alternative Solids Removal for Warm Water Recirculating Raft Aquaponic Systems
	Authors:	Jason J. Danaher, R. Charlie Shultz, James E. Rakocy, Donald S. Bailey
	Author Affiliations:	no affiliations available
	Source:	Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, Volume 44, Number 3 (June 2013)
	Page Numbers:	374 – 383
	Available Full Text:	Full Text: Subscription Required to view full text Format: PDF Size: unknown Location: Publisher’s Site Authentication: EBSCOhost EJS
	Abstract:	Aquaponics is an integrated fish and plant recirculating production system. The University of the Virgin Islands’ raft aquaponic system uses a cylindro-conical clarifier as a primary solids removal device; however, a swirl separator may offer advantages. The objectives of the 8-wk experiment were to compare water quality parameters, Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, production and water spinach, Ipomoea aquatica, production in a raft aquaponic system using a clarifier or swirl separator for primary treatment of solids in the waste stream.
	Citation:	Jason J. Danaher, R. Charlie Shultz, James E. Rakocy, Donald S. Bailey . Alternative Solids Removal for Warm Water Recirculating Raft Aquaponic Systems. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society, Volume 44, Number 3 (June 2013), pp. 374-383, <http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=400EAD864D784A3E3D6D&gt;
	URL:	http://ejournals.ebsco.com/direct.asp?ArticleID=400EAD864D784A3E3D6D

“Fish, turtles and stingrays were discovered dead or dying in the waters of the harbour in 2011 and 2012. Symptoms included skin lesions and cloudy eyes. Gladstone fishermen said increased dredging to build export facilities for the coal seam gas industry was behind the outbreak of disease.”

What do you think?

Read more here – http://mobile.news.com.au/breaking-news/national/floods-to-blame-for-sick-gladstone-fish/story-e6frfku9-1226690001393

Question:

I’m looking at owning some fish so I was just wondering if a heater, filter etc. Is essential when getting something like a gold fish or a siamese fighting fish?

Also, I have cats so I was wondering if you have any recommendations on how to deal with keeping my fish safe or if I should not own fish at all?

Answer:

A heater is required to keep most tropical fishes unless of course, you live in the tropics where the water temperature can be naturally maintained at 24-28degC.

A filter is necessary to detoxify the wastes produced by fish in a confined water body, unless if the stocking density is as low as occurs in nature and if there are other methods to detoxify the wastes.

Speak with your local fish store for advice that fits exactly what your budget can meet. Remember, the larger the tank, the easier it is to keep.