The Fish Vet's Blog

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 <+>{

Meet Dr Giana Bastos Gomes, our “naturalised Australian import from Brazil” with a wealth of first-hand experience on veterinary aspects of shrimp farming, including exotic diseases like the WSSV.

Don’t get scared. Get ready!

Ask us how we can help you get ahead.
—
Yours sincerely,

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

Aquatic Veterinarian & Veterinary Pathologist.
PERTH | MELBOURNE | SYDNEY | TOWNSVILLE | BRIBIE ISLAND.
THE FISH VET – AUSTRALIA.

Aquatic Veterinary Medical & Diagnostic Services.
Web: http://www.thefishvet.com.au

Ph: +61 421 822 383
Mail: PO Box 5164, East Victoria Park, WA 6981, Australia.

One of the post grads students asked this ,

“… in the anatomy reading there is mention of white and dark muscle and that there are differences in drug distribution and that clinicians should be aware of this when administering medications. But there is no information of what the differences are. What is it that we should know about where we should be administering which drugs when giving IM injections?”

 

The dark muscle is probably more active/vascular so probably has faster uptake, right?

True, however, most fish have little dark muscle.

Their dark muscle is located as a narrow, superficial strip, subjacent to, amd running along the lateral line system. 

The lateral line system is highly innervated.

The superficial lateral location of muscle also means maximum movement.

I would say these are reasons why we don’t really administer drugs there. We normally give into the large dorsal muscle bulk, close to the dorsal fin .