HANDLING, MANAGEMENT, DISEASES OF FISH

1. FISH
Submitted to: Dr Waqas Ahmad
Submitted by: M.M.R
Reg #: DVMN-2017-041
WECO-02607

3. CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Physical characters
• Habitat
• Diet
• Handling
• Management
• Clinical problems & Treatment
• Zoonotic disease
• Vaccination
• Behavior
• Ethics & welfare
• Quick facts

4. INTRODUCTION
 Fish- is a cold-blooded aquatic vertebrate breathing by means of gills, with
paired appendages in the form of fins and with a body covering of scales
 Fish is any member of a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of
all gill- bearing aquatic craniate animals that lack limbs with digits
 All fish share two traits that they live in water and they have a
backbone—they are vertebrates
 Living species range from the primitive jawless lampreys and hagfishes
through the cartilaginous sharks, skates, and rays to the abundant and
diverse bony fishes

5. WHAT MAKES A FISH A FISH
Although fish are vertebrates - like humans, birds, cats, dogs and elephants
- they are also almost like an alien in a lot of ways
◦ Fish are designed to live in water
◦ They move through the water and balance not with hands and feet but
with fins
◦ For most fish, they breathe not through lungs but by using gills to extract
oxygen from the water
◦ They are cold-blooded, with their body temperature usually the same as
the surrounding water however, one species, the opah (Lampris guttatus), is
warm-blooded

7. PHYSICAL CHARACTERS
• The typical fish body is streamlined and spindle-shaped, with an anterior
head, a gill apparatus, and a heart, the latter lying in the midline just
below the gill chamber
• The body cavity, containing the vital organs, is situated behind the head in
the lower anterior part of the body
• The anus usually marks the posterior termination of the body cavity
• The spinal cord and vertebral column continue from the posterior part of
the head to the base of the tail fin
• Most of the body is of muscular tissue, a high proportion of which is
necessitated by swimming

9. • Apart from these similarities, however, many of the species in this
group differ markedly from one another
 Fin fish like salmon have gills, are covered in scales, and reproduce by
laying eggs
 Eels, by contrast, have worm-like bodies and exceedingly slimy skin
 Lungfish gulp air
 Whale sharks, the largest fish, give birth to live young and eat only tiny
fish, squid, and plankton
 Some species, such as the weedy sea dragon, are so bizarre they seem
almost unreal

11. SPECIES
 The total number of living fish species—about 32,000— is greater than the
total of all other vertebrate species (amphibians, reptiles, birds, and
mammals) combined
Mammals - 5,513 (8.16%)
Birds - 10,425 (15.43 %)
Reptiles - 10,038 (14.85 %)
Amphibians- 7,302 (10.81%)
Fishes - 34,300 (50.76%)
Total- 67,578

12. RARE SPECIES
1. European Sea Sturgeon (Atlantic Sturgeon)
2. Smalltooth Sawfish
3. Kissing Loach
4. Giant Sea Bass
5. Tequila Splitfin
6. Adriatic Sturgeon
7. Devils Hole Pupfish
8. Red Handfish
9. Ornate sleeper ray
10. Sakhalin Sturgeon

24. HABITAT
• Lake Titicaca
• Marianas Trench
• Desert springs
• Caves
• Thermal vents
• Under Antarctic ice
• Ponds
• Lakes
• Rivers

26. DIET
 Fish eat a wide variety of things; however their specific diet depends on
their natural environment, the eco-system in which they live and a host of
other reasons
 Fish generally fall into three categories; carnivore, herbivore and omnivore
 Carnivorous require a protein rich diet, consisting of plenty of meat in
either live or dead form. Species include Piranhas, Cichlids, Arowanas,
Bettas, Killifish and Pipefish
 In the wild they feast on live fish, insects, larvae and crustaceans

27.  Herbivores only consume plant matter; this is more difficult to digest
than meats
 Their diet includes large amounts of fiber, which is difficult to digest and
so they have a longer digestive tract than carnivores
 A herbivorous fish’s diet consists of plants, algae, vegetables and fruits
 Omnivores consume both meat and plant matter
 They possess some of the digestive tract traits of both a carnivore and a
herbivore; such as the batfish
 In particular they need:
• Vitamin C to promote bone development, healing and digestion.
• Vitamin B2 and B6 to help with enzymes.
• Vitamin B1 to assist with the breakdown of carbohydrates.
• Mineral wise, they require calcium, phosphorous and manganese

29. HANDLING
 Keep the fish wet and calm
 Removing fish from water causes stress, suffocation, and possible internal
injury
 Provide proper support
 Avoid removing fish from the support of the surrounding water any more
than necessary
 Treat the fish gently
 Use wet hands or gloves to handle fish

32. AQUARIUM MANAGEMENT
An aquarium is much more than just a glass cage with water and fish. It is
a fragile microhabitat where fish, plants, invertebrates, and
microorganisms live together in a delicate balance. In a properly
functioning aquarium, these organisms support and depend on each other
to maintain a habitable environment. If this balance is disturbed, the result
can be a break-down that can cause the animals to suffer or die. Such
disturbances can be caused by many factors, such as:
• Too much or too little food
• Inadequate or improper maintenance
• Incorrect or fluctuating temperature
• Residual pesticides or other chemicals in or near the aquarium
• Stressful environment (lights on 24 hr., noise around tank, etc.)
• Introduction of parasites or other disease
• Incompatible tankmates

36. CLINICAL PROBLEMS
• Viral infections, such as esocid lymphosarcoma found in Esox species
• Bacterial infections, such as Pseudomonas fluorescens leading to fin rot
and fish dropsy
• Fungal infections
• Water mould infections, such as Saprolegnia sp.
• Metazoan parasites, such as copepods
• Unicellular parasites, such as Ichthyophthirius multifiliis leading to itch
• Certain parasites like Helminths for example Eustrongylides

39. ZOONOTIC DISEASES
• Aside from food poisonings, the overall incidence of transmission of
disease-producing agents from fish to humans is low
• However, a number of agents that are found in fish and aquarium water
have the potential to be transmitted to humans
• In general, humans contract fish-borne disease through ingestion of
infected fish tissues or aquarium water, or by contamination of lacerated
or abraded skin

40.  The zoonotic diseases associated with fish contact are primarily
bacterial infections
 These include:
• Mycobacterium
• Erysipelothrix
• Campylobacter
• Aeromonas
• Vibrio
• Edwardsiella
• Escherichia
• Salmonella
• Klebsiella
• Streptococcus iniae

41. HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF?
Wash your hands:
The single most effective preventative measure that can be taken is
thorough, regular hand washing. Wash hands and arms after handling fish and aquarium
water
Wear gloves:
Wear sturdy, impervious gloves when hands are immersed in water for a
significant length of time, or if you have any cuts or abrasions on your hands or arms
Seek medical attention promptly:
If injured on the job, promptly report the accident to
your supervisor even if it seems relatively minor. Minor cuts and abrasions should be
immediately cleansed with antibacterial soap, and then protected from exposure to fish
and aquarium water
Tell your physician you work with fish:
Whenever you are ill, even if you're not certain
that the illness is work-related, always mention to your physician that you work with
fish. Many zoonotic diseases have flu-like symptoms but would not normally be suspected

42. VACCINATION
• Fish vaccines can be delivered the same way we immunize warm-blooded
animals
• Fish can be immunized by immersion in vaccine for a short period of
time--30 seconds to 2 minutes
• They can be immunized by injection, intramuscularly or
intraperitoneally, and orally by mixing vaccines with feed either by top
dressing or by incorporating into feed as an ingredient
• Fish also respond to vaccine the same way as other animals do, but since
fish are cold-blooded animals, the response to vaccine depends largely on
the water temperature
 In general, the higher the water temperature, the faster the immune
response of fish to the vaccine

43. BEHAVIOR
Hiding Fish: Hiding is completely natural behavior for most fish, especially
when they are first introduced to their new aquarium. Just make sure you
keep your fish comfortable and healthy, and he should start coming out of
hiding more readily
Fighting Fish: If your fish are fighting, it generally means that they are not
a compatible fit to be housed in the same aquarium. Many fish are naturally
aggressive and will defend their territory to the death. Before stocking your
aquarium, you should do research on which types of fish are compatible with
others together

44. Fish Swimming Erratically: If your fish is swimming erratically, he
could just be playing or exercising. If your fish does it this consistently and
seems unhealthy, the cause may be poor water quality. You should test your
water for pH, ammonia, and nitrates immediately to see if anything is
improper and harming your fish. If everything is in order, the cause of your
fish’s erratic behavior may could be a parasite
Listlessness: If your fish seem tired and lethargic, it can be as a result of
many factors. One common cause is improper water temperature. If your
fish’s water is too hot or too cold, they will be very inactive

45. ETHICS & WELFARE
• Freedom from Hunger and Thirst
• Freedom from Discomfort
• Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease
• Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
• Freedom from Fear and Distress

46. QUICK FACTS
• The word "halibut" means "holy flatfish" (hali=holy + butte=flatfish)
because it was only eaten on holy days
• Most fish reproduce by laying eggs, though some fish, such as great white
sharks, give birth to live babies called pups
• Some fish, such as the great white shark, can raise their body
temperature. This helps them hunt for prey in cold water
• The oldest known age for a fish was an Australian lungfish. In 2003, it
was still alive and well at 65 years old
• Fish use a variety of low-pitched sounds to convey messages to each other.
They moan, grunt, croak, boom, hiss, whistle, creak, shriek, and wail

47. • Electric eels and electric rays have enough electricity to kill a horse
• The fish in the middle of a school control the school. The fish on the
outside are guided by those in the middle. Only bony fish can swim in
highly coordinated groups
• The most poisonous fish in the world is the stone fish. Its sting can cause
shock, paralysis, and even death if not treated within a few hours
• The fastest fish is the sailfish. It can swim as fast as a car travels on the
highway