Short description:

Practicing veterinarians, veterinary technicians, professional aquarists, fish researchers, and tropical fish hobbyists will find this thorough yet concise handbook a complete how-to guide for keeping fish under human care healthy and thriving.

Long description:

Practicing veterinarians, veterinary technicians, professional aquarists, fish researchers, and tropical fish hobbyists will find this thorough yet concise handbook a complete how-to guide for keeping fish under human care healthy and thriving. Whether you're new to fish medicine and husbandry or an expert in the field, there is valuable information within these pages for you. The book is arranged in a logical order so that readers can quickly and efficiently find the information they seek. The book is filled with valuable and applicable information on dozens of topics including how to manage aquatic life support systems for fish, history taking, natural history, anatomy, physiology, diagnostic techniques, anesthesia, analgesia, and surgery. Virtually all of the most important ornamental fish pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites, are described and richly illustrated. There are also sections on fish welfare and conservation.

While there are many books on the market that explore the topics of ornamental fish health and care, none provide the amount of helpful information and resources in such a small, affordable package.

Table of Contents:

1. Aquarium Fish Families and Species. Common Groups. Popular Freshwater Ornamental Fishes. Popular Tropical Marine Ornamental Fishes. Popular Aquarium Non-Fish Species. Laws and Permits 2. Aquarium Systems and Water Quality. Important System Processes. Tank Essentials. Water Chemistry Reference Ranges. The Nitrogen Cycle in Aquarium and Pond Systems. Water Quality: Chemical Imbalances and Management. Tank and Water Tips. Salt Calculations for Common Volumes of Water 3. Nutrition and Diet. General Nutrient Requirements and Feed Ingredients. Macronutrients. Micronutrients. Additional Considerations. Amount 4. General Reproduction. Sexing Select Species/Groups. General Reproductive Strategies. General Notes on Tropical Fish Early Life Stages. Egg-Binding (Egg Retention/Dystocia) 5. Clinical Case Work Ups: Initial Considerations Examination 6. Ante-Mortem Diagnostics External Wet Mount Biopsies. Bacterial Culture ? Non-Sacrificial. Blood Collection Techniques. Diagnostic Evaluation of Samples. Hematology 7. Imaging Radiography and Ultrasonography General Comments. Examples 8. Post-Mortem Evaluation. General Comments on Specimen Quality. Necropsy Supplies. Microbiology Supplies. Wet Mount Evaluation. Necropsy and Microbiology. Normal Fish Anatomy 9. Euthanasia, Anesthesia, and Sedation General Considerations for Euthanasia. Indicators of Death in Fish. Euthanasia Methods. Anesthesia and Sedation. Anesthesia Tips 10. Surgery Common Indications for Surgery. Fish Anesthesia Deliver System. Induction, Maintenance, and Monitoring. Fish Preparation. Surgical Tips 10. Infectious Diseases. General Management Considerations. Preventive Care: Vaccines. Parasitic Diseases of Aquarium Fish. Bacterial Diseases of Aquarium Fish. Viral Diseases of Aquarium Fish. Fungal Diseases of Aquarium Fish. Reportable Diseases. Zoonoses. 12. Common Medical Conditions. Fatty Liver Disease. Neoplasia. Buoyancy Problems (Swim Bladder ?Disease?). Superficial Wounds. Signs Associated with Water Quality Problems. Head and Lateral Line Erosion Syndrome (HLLES) of Marine Fish. Ocular Diseases. Nutritional Diseases. Constipation. Behavioral Considerations 13. Health Certificates/Certificate of Veterinary Inspection 14. Drugs and Chemicals: Administration Methods and Formulary. Pre-treatment Considerations. Routes of Drug and Chemical Administration for Ornamental Fish. Drugs and Dosages. 15. Equipment and Supplies Checklist. Husbandry. Medical. Microbiology. Drugs and Other Compounds. Diagnostic Materials. 16. Material Resources. Products and Services. Water Chemistry Test Kits. Fish Drug Distributors. Other Informational Resources. References/Further Reading.