Aquatic Laboratory Animal Medicine

Autorentext

The editors Toi A. Collins, DVM, MS, DACLAM, is the Director of Preclinical Research Support & Veterinary Services at the University of Virginia, Center for Comparative Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Michael B. Palillo, DVM, MS, CertAqV, DACLAM is Senior Clinical Veterinarian for Aquatic, Agricultural & Biosecurity Programs at the University of Virginia, Center for Comparative Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. Raphael A. Malbrue, DVM, MS, CertAqV, DACLAM, is Attending Veterinarian and the Associate Vice President for Research for ****Comparative Medicine & Preclinical Studies at the Center for Comparative Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

Klappentext

Clinical care and husbandry for aquatic biomedical research species

Aquatic Laboratory Animal Medicine addresses clinical medicine, husbandry, and facility operations for freshwater fish, amphibians, and cephalopods. The book functions both as a detailed clinical reference and as a quick-access guide for daily aquatic program management. Authoritative yet practical, it provides the clinical, husbandry, and operational guidance needed to deliver high-quality care and maintain effective institutional aquatic programs.

Coverage spans biosecurity protocols, pathogenic and non-infectious disease diagnosis and treatment, surgical techniques, anesthesia, and euthanasia methods. Husbandry topics include nutrition, breeding programs, life support systems, water quality management, and housing design. The book also addresses facility start-up planning and disaster preparedness, providing the operational framework needed to establish and maintain aquatic animal care programs.

Key topics also include:

• Practical diagnostic techniques and treatment approaches tailored to the specific physiology of freshwater fish, amphibians, and cephalopods
• Facility design guidance covering life support system engineering, housing configuration, and infrastructure planning for new aquatic programs
• Water quality management protocols addressing monitoring parameters, troubleshooting, and maintaining optimal conditions for research species health
• Biosecurity frameworks for institutional aquatic facilities including quarantine procedures, disease surveillance, and pathogen prevention strategies
• Disaster preparedness planning for aquatic facilities with actionable protocols to protect animal welfare during emergencies and system failures
  Aquatic Laboratory Animal Medicine is an essential reference for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, aquatic animal caregivers, facility managers, and researchers working with aquatic species in biomedical research, and its practical insights will also benefit those in the pet trade.

Inhalt

List of Contributors xv

Preface xix

1 Introduction 1

References, 2

2 The Biology and Management of Fish in a Laboratory Setting 3

Background on Fish in Research, 3

Carps, Danios, and Minnows (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae, Xenocyprididae,Danionidae, Leuciscidae), 4

Cichlids (Cichliformes: Cichlidae), 4

Rice Fish/medaka (Beloniformes: Adrianichthyidae), 5

Guppies and Mollies (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae), 5

Fish Behavior, Biology, and Anatomy, 6

Behavior, 6

Behavior as a Reflection of Physiology and Environment, 6

Species-Specific Behavioral Patterns in Commonly Used Biomedical Fish Models, 7

Zebrafish (D. Rerio), 7

Medaka (O. Latipes), 7

Cichlids, 8

Livebearers (i.e., Guppies and Swordtails), 9

Killifish, 9

Cavefish (Astyanax Mexicanus), 9

Salmonids (i.e., Rainbow Trout and Atlantic Salmon), 10

Goldfish (C. Auratus), 10

Tilapia (Oreochromis Spp.), 10

Core Behavioral Categories in Fish, 11

Behavior as a Clinical Tool, 11

Environmental and Husbandry Influences on Behavior, 12

Fish Anatomy and Physiology, 12

Integumentary and External Anatomy, 12

Musculoskeletal System, 15

Body Condition Scoring in Fish, 15

Sensory System, 16

Respiratory System, 17

Circulatory System, 18

Vascular System (Blood), 19

The Lymphatic System, 21

Gastrointestinal System, 21

Urinary System, 23

Aquatic Diagnostics, 23

Diagnostic Framework and Preanalytical Considerations, 24

Clinical Observation and Nonlethal Examination, 24

Diagnostic Imaging Modalities in Aquatic Animals, 25

Radiography, 26

Ultrasonography, 26

Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), 27

Clinical Pathology, 27

Practical Blood-based Assessment, 27

Cytology and Wet-mount Examination, 28

Necropsy, Histopathology, and Sample Handling, 30

Practical In-House Necropsy Sequence, 31

Molecular, Microbiologic, and Environmental Diagnostics, 33

Integrating Results for Case Management, 33

Fish Diseases, 35

Infectious Diseases, 35

Parasitic Diseases, 35

Bacterial Diseases, 35

Viral Diseases, 45

Fungal Diseases, 45

Water Molds, 53

True Fungi, 53

Microsporidia, 53

Noninfectious Diseases, 53

Gases, 53

Nitrogen Cycle/water Quality, 59

Nutrition, 59

Other Toxins, 59

Physical Concerns, 59

Anesthesia, Surgery, Research Techniques, and Analgesia, 60

The Presurgical Exam, 60

Anesthesia, 60

Surgical Preparation, 65

Surgical Instruments and Specialized Equipment, 65

Common Surgical Procedures in Fish, 66

Common Techniques Performed in Research, 68

Analgesia, 71

Analgesia, 73

Euthanasia, 76

General Principles and Pre-euthanasia Preparation, 76

Recognizing Unconsciousness and Confirming Death, 77

Immersion Overdose Methods, 78

Injectable Methods, 80

Physical Methods and Two-Step Completion, 80

Rapid Chilling and Hypothermic Shock, 80

Context-Specific Recommendations, 82

Documentation, Carcass Handling, and Post-procedure Review, 82

Need for Continued Research, 82

Husbandry and Biosecurity of Finfish, 83

Water Quality, 83

RO Filtration, 83

Deionized (DI) Filtration, 83

Municipal, Conditioned, or Aged Water, 87

Temperature, 87

Conductivity/salinity, 87

Turbidity, 88

pH, 88

Nitrogenous Wastes, 89

Natural Water Quality Changes as it Moves Through an LSS, 92

Parameter Interactions, 92

Troubleshooting and Correcting Water Quality Issues, 94

Troubleshooting Temperature, 95

Troubleshooting Conductivity, 95

Troubleshooting pH, 96

Troubleshooting Ammonia and Nitrite, 97

Troubleshooting Nitrate, 97

Troubleshooting Alkalinity/Hardness, 97

Troubleshooting Do, 98

Environmental Management, 98

Room Temperature, 98

Air Flow, 99

Humidity, 99

Noise Levels, 99

Light Levels/Photoperiod/Lighting, 100

Facility Location, 100

Life Support Systems (LSSs), 101

Types Of LSSs, 101

System/Facility Design, 103

Housing Racks, 104

Tanks and Tank Design, 105

Other Housing Vessels, 108

Sumps, 108

Mechanical Solids Removal, 108

Biological Filtration, 112

Chemical Filtration, 116

Carbon Filters, 116

Ozone, 116

UV Light Disinfection, 118

Degassing Columns/devices, 119

Pumps, 120

Source Water, 121

Dosing System, 122

Calcium Reactors, 123

Water Quality Monitoring Probes, 123

Heaters/chillers, 124

Control Center and Alarming System, 125

Specialty Considerations, 125

Nutrition, 125

Dietary Needs and Strategies for Maintaining Balanced Nutrition, 125

Components of Fish Feed Formulations, 126

Live Feeds, 128

Artemia, 128

Rotifers, 131

Paramecium, 132

Diets of Common Species of Laboratory Finfish, 132

Zebrafish (D. Rerio), 132

Killifish (Notobranchius Furzeri), 133

CONTENTS ix

Guppies, 133

Bettas (Betta Splendens), 133

Goldfish (C. Auratus), 133

Danionella (Danionella Translucida), 133

Mexican Cavefish/Tetra (A. Mexicanus), 134

Breeding, 134

Reproductive Biology of Finfish, 134

Gametogenesis and Hormonal Impact on Reproduction, 134

Breeding Setups for Finfish, 136

Additional Information, 137

In Vitro Fertilization and Cryopreservation, 137

Species-Specific Breeding Information, 1…