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Fish Hygiene
479 VMD
 Topics of Fish Hygiene and diseases

• Introduction
1 • Body system and organs of fish

• Fish feeding
2 • Aquaculture visit

3 • Fish diseases
4 • Bacterial fish diseases

5 • Viral fish diseases.

6 • Parasitic fish diseases.

7 • Mycotic fish diseases.

8 • Fish meat hygiene

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 Main causes of fish diseases

1. A wide range of pathogens

• bacteria,
• viruses,
• parasites and
• molds • .
1. Environmental factors (water quality)
2. Husbandry factors
• Often these factors are linked in disease outbreaks
• For example, a decline in water quality associated with
poor husbandry practices may lead to an increase in the
incidence of bacterial infections.

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• Fish in poor health have considerably lower growths rates
which increases the time and costs to grow them to a
marketable size.
• Some diseases can render the fish unsightly which reduces
their marketability.

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 Sources of infection in Fish Diseases

1. Diseased fishes.
2. Carrier fishes.
3. Carcasses of dead fish.
4. Contaminated:
a. Feed. • .
b. Utensils and tools.
c. Water.
Factors affecting fish diseases infection
1. Type of microorganisms
2. Type of fish
3. Environment
including
• Contamination degree of water
• Suitable environmental condition for growth and multiplication of micro
organisms as temperature,
• . acidity and oxygen ratio
General symptoms indicating infection of fish diseases
1. Abnormal movement and swimming
2. Loss of appetites (anorexia)
3. Turbidity of water
4. Sudden death

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Sources of pathogens
1. Water supply
• A major source of pathogens to
intensive aquaculture facilities
2. New fish stock
• Another important source of pathogens
Both these sources need to be
appropriately screened •and . treated to
ensure that introduction of pathogens to
aquaculture facilities is minimized and
biosecurity maintained.
Stress factors associated with Fish Diseases:
1. Low oxygen content.
2. Overcrowding
3. High turbidity of water.
4. High ammonia and nitrite level in water.
5. Change in pH of water.
6. Organic pollution.
7. Malnutrition of fish.
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8. Mechanical injuries of the skin or gills.
9. Toxic inorganic and organic substances.
10. Suddenly change in temperature
11. heavy infestation with parasites
12. Rough handling and transportation of fish
 Diagnosis Principles of Fish Diseases

1. Case history
2. Inspection of fish inside water environment.
3. Examination of fish outside the water environment.
4. Inspection of internal organs.
5. Microscopic examination• . of samples.
6. Laboratory investigation.
1. Case history:
All information about
1. Fish farm management
2. Nature and exact time of last infection
3. Applied treatment
4. Control measures
5. Quality of fish feed
6. Water source quality • .
7. Aquarium water quality
8. Frequency of aquarium water exchange
2. Inspection of fish inside water environment
Monitoring the behavior of the fish will assist in diagnosis of
fish diseases, may include:
1. loss of appetite,
2. listlessness,
3. gulping at the water surface,
4. "flashing" or "rubbing",
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5. flaring of gill covers (opercula),
6. Swimming action - loss of balance, position in water
column, swimming with head up, swimming with head
down, spiralling etc.
7. Number of fish affected and number of mortalities.

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3. Examination of fish outside the water environment

Once a fish has been removed and examined with the

naked eye, observations of the physical appearance of
the fish should include:
1. Body shape hollow gutted, swelling.
2. Skin coloration changes , blotchiness, presence of
sores, necrosis, ulcers,• .spots, bleeding, loss of
scales, changes in texture.
3. Eyes swollen, cloudiness.
4. Fins tattered, frayed, eroded.
5. Gills pale, swollen, filaments fused together, filaments
clubbed/swollen, filaments eroded, excess mucus, presence
of debris.

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4. Inspection of internal organs
Dissection instruments used in examining and
dissecting fish include
• blunt and fine-pointed forceps,
• blunt and pointed probes,
• dissecting scissors preferably with pointed tips,
scalpels and
• a range of scalpel blades.• .
• Also a notepad and pencil will be required to take
notes
• Method for sedating fish before a clinical
procedure
5. Microscopic examination of samples

Light microscopes
• to observe and identify parasites.
• separated into two types,
Dissecting microscopes and Compound microscopes,
based on their magnifying ability.
The dissecting microscope • . is used for viewing
specimens at low magnifications
mucus sample
• collected by scraping the side of the fish with the
back of a scalpel.
• The sample collected, skin cells, mucus and scales,
can then be transferred to a drop of freshwater on a
microscope slide.
• A cover slide may then be gently lowered onto the
drop of water.
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• Samples of gill tissue can be treated the same way.
Compound microscope
• for some protozoans, such as Ichthyobodo, and
bacterial cells which has higher magnifications of
between 40x and 1,000x, is necessary
• Compound microscopes with built-in illuminators
and binocular eyepieces are more convenient than
those with a separate light source or fitted with a
single eyepiece
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• Bacterial cells can be observed with a compound
microscope at high magnifications (> x400
magnification).
6. Laboratory investigation
• It is necessary to identify the actual causative agents
of fish diseases.
• However, identification of bacteria requires the
skills of a specialist.
• If bacterial infections are suspected, contact a
qualified veterinarian and prepare samples for
laboratory submission • .
Identification of bacterial species and strains
involves a variety of diagnostic methods including,
• Culture using selective or specific enrichment culture
media,
• Staining,
• Fluorescent antibody testing,
• Enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA),
• Outer membrane proteins analysis,
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• DNA fingerprinting and
• Immunochemistry techniques.
 Thank you
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