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TREATMENT OPTIONSFOR FISH INAQUAPONICS SYSTEMSALEX PRIMUS, DVM, PHDUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTACOLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE

Overview Intro to Aquaponics Fish Health Management Keys to Keeping FishHealthy Common Signs of Disease Common Pathogens of Fish Treatment Options Regulatory Compliance Strategies to MinimizeHarm to Biofilter

INTRO TO AQUAPONICS

Aquaponics: Conceptual Basis Aquaponics RAS Aquaculture Hydroponics Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Enclosed intensive fish production Water filtered and reused Hydroponics Method of growing plants in water (no soil) Requires nutrient supplementation NO3-, K , PO43-, etc.

Aquaponics: Major Biological Components Aquatic animals (e.g. Fish) Excrete ammonia as waste (primarily via the gills) Nitrifying Bacteria – “Biofilter” Convert: Ammonia Nitrite Nitrate Plants Nitrate consumption promotes growth improves WQ for fishSynergistic interactionsbetween componentscontribute to the health andproductivity of aquaponicssystems

Fish Diversity in AquaponicsAn International Survey of Aquaponics Practitioners (Love et al., 2015)

FISH HEALTH MANAGEMENT INAQUAPONICS“AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE”- BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Keys to Maintaining Good Fish Health1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.Always Maintain Good Water Quality!!!Minimize Stress!Good Husbandry & NutritionGood BiosecurityBuy Healthy StockQuarantine / Entry TreatmentIf Fish Get Sick, Get a DiagnosisOzone / UV Treatment of WaterKnow Your ResourcesAlways Keep an Eye on your Fish

Common Indicators of Disease Fish going off feed Fish gasping at surface or stayingnear water inflow Abnormal behavior Flashing, rubbing, etc. Lethargy, positioning, etc. Presence of any external (orinternal) lesions Erosions, ulcers, spots, fuzziness,hemorrhages, etc. Increased mortality rates

Gross External Lesions

Infectious Diseases of Fish Parasites External Internal Bacteria Viruses Water Molds

Common External Parasites of FW Fish Inhabit gills, skin and/or fins Most are Opportunistic Pathogens“Ich” – White spot Low numbers – asymptomatic High numbers – morbidity &mortality Low High typically due to: Stress & Poor WQ Clinical signsTrichodina Flashing, gross lesions, respiratorydistress, “cloudy” skin Diagnosis: ”Wet-mounts” **Treatment: Salt, formalin,potassium permanganate, copper,hydrogen peroxide, other**Not necessarily legal for food fish and safein aquaponics systems. More to come Monogenean

Common Internal Parasites of FW Fish Inhabit many tissues Generally asymptomatic Complex life cycles common Snails, arthropods, birds,mammals Includes several types ofworms and a few oddballs Diagnosis: Necropsy Treatment Typically not required No approved drugs for foodfish

Bacteria & Viruses Many bacterial & viral diseases of fish Many species specific, others not Most difficult to identify based onclinical signs / gross morphology Typically require advanced diagnostics Viruses Most recognized are Primary Pathogens No drug-based treatment options Bacteria Include both Primary and OpportunisticExternal – A few bath treatment options**Systemic – Medicated feed treatments**Internal focal / multifocal – hard to treat**Not necessarily legal for food fish and safein aquaponics systems. More to come

Water molds – “Saprolegnia” Often called “fungal infections”, but not true fungusUbiquitous in freshwater and soilVery difficult to treat once establishedBecause they are saprophytic, will start growing on fish thatdie in water – can be diagnostic “red herring” Early Diagnosis: ”Wet mounts” Treatment**: Formalin, hydrogen peroxide, other**Not necessarily legal for food fish and safein aquaponics systems. More to come

TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR FISH INAQUAPONICS SYSTEMS

Why is treating sick fish in anaquaponics system so challenging? Limited number of approved drugs for fish Regulations are much more stringent for food fish Most basic treatment options could harm / kill your biofilter Other treatment options may be harmful to your plants

Pathogen Treatment Considerations1. Make sure your in compliance with regulationsA. Feed-based antibiotics now require veterinary oversight Requires Veterinary Feed Directive, which in turn requiresVeterinarian-Client-Patient-Relationship Technically no off label use allowed, which means certain drugscan only be used for infections with certain pathogens in certainfish species (mostly salmonids and catfish) But FDA says if other guidelines being followed and it is needed,enforcement species/pathogen specifics are not a priority

Pathogen Treatment Considerations1. Make sure your in compliance with regulationsB. Bath treatment drugs/products should be FDA-approvedand used as indicated on the label, with some exceptions(ex. Salt considered low priority) Any off-label use (i.e. different fish species or pathogen thanindicated on label) requires veterinary oversight For more on which drugs are approved for whichpathogens, and other regulatory detail, visit: ml Or just Google: Aquaculture Drugs and AADAP Aquatic Animal Drug Approval Partnership - US Fish and WildlifeService Continued on next slide

Pathogen Treatment Considerations1. Make sure your in compliance with regulationsB. Bath treatment drugs (continued) For Example, certain formulations of certaindrugs/chemicals produced by certain manufacturers PARASITE-S (a Formalin formulation) produced by Syndel USA is approved for treatment of certain indications in certainspecies of fish Control of external protozoa and monogeneans in all finfish at certain doses for certain amounts of time Up to 250 ppm for up to 1 hour (some exceptions, like moredetailed requirement for use in Salmonids, etc.) More details on label (not going to try bore you any morethan I already have)

Pathogen Treatment Considerations1. Make sure your in compliance with regulationsB. Bath treatment drugs (continued) Some of this just regulatory, some very important for safetyof fish and consumer Lastly, there are some other options for using drugs withincompliance, but lots of details For example: Investigational New Animal Drugs (INADs) Low Regulatory Priority (LRP) Drugs – LRP drugs are innocuouscompounds that have historically been used in aquaculture but willlikely never be approved by FDA. (ex. Salt)

Pathogen Treatment Considerations1. Make sure your in compliance with regulationsB. Bath treatment drugs (continued) List of FDA approved drugs1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.Chorionic Gonadotropin (Chorulon )Formalin (Parasite-S, Formalin-FTM, Formacide-B)Hydrogen Peroxide (35% Perox Aid )Chloramine-T (Halamid Aqua)Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride (several products available)Tricaine Methanesulfonate (Tricaine-S)Florfenicol (Aquaflor )Oxytetracycline dihydrate (Terramycin 200 for Fish)Sulfadimethoxine & Ormetoprim (Romet 30 & Romet TC) Remember, some of these are only labeled for certain pathogensin certain fish species Be sure you know what you are allowed to do, especially forfood fish

Pathogen Treatment Considerations2. Most bath treatment options and antibiotics canharm your biofilter Do what you can to minimize contact between thesedrugs/products and your biofilter A few strategies will follow on next slides In addition to these strategies, one can also mitigate riskby Minimize nitrogen load on biofilter around the time of treatment Can hold or decrease feed for several days Backup your biofilter if possible

Strategies to minimize biofilterchemotheropeutant contact Salt Dip for external parasite infections Remove fish from tank and place in smaller containerwith 10-30 ppt salt, then place back in tank Can go up to 30 minutes if fish tolerate, but usually a dip ismuch quicker (1-2 minutes at higher end of ppt concentration) Ensure fish getting enough Oxygen through process Ideally use NaCl, sea salt, solar salt Don’t want additives such as anti-caking agents that are presentin many salts used for water softeners

Strategies to minimize biofilterchemotheropeutant contact Bypass/Isolate fish tank for bath treatment AND domajor water change to fish tank (50-75%) post-bathMajor Water Changein Fish Tank

Strategies to minimize biofilterchemotheropeutant contact Bypass/Isolate fish tank for bath treatment AND domajor water change to fish tank (50-75%) post-bath

Strategies to minimize biofilterchemotheropeutant contact Bypass/Isolate fish tank for bath treatment AND domajor water change to fish tank (50-75%) post-bath Ensure: Dissolved oxygen levels sufficient during bath Fresh water parameters matches replaced water as well aspossible Can also: Continue replacing more water than usual in the system on adaily basis Put activated carbon filter in-line with system May need multiple treatments

Fish Health Resources Books Ex. “Fish Disease: Diagnosis and Treatment” Websites OIE Aquatic CodeFAO - AquacultureAFS – Fish Health SectionRegional Sites – NCRAC, SRACThe Fish Site People American Association of Fish Veterinarians Aquaculture extension specialists Diagnostic Labs – public and private

Questions

Aquaponics: Conceptual Basis Aquaponics RAS Aquaculture Hydroponics Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Enclosed intensive fish production Water filtered and reused Hydroponics Method of growing plants in water (no soil) Requires nutrient supplementation NO 3 -, K , PO 4 3, etc.