We would also like to thank the many people who reviewed sections, including Andy Aiken, Julie Cavin, Esteban DeSoto, Ruth Francis‐Floyd, Dan Fredholm, Kim Gaeta, Claudia Gili, Craig Harms, Matt Kinney, Greg Lewbart, Ken Ramirez, Drury Reavill, and Aimee Reed. Your efforts have broadened the perspectives captured here.
And a special thank you to all the staff at the National Aquarium, Seattle Aquarium, and New England Aquarium. It has been our privilege to work beside you and learn with you.
Catherine A. Hadfield and Leigh Ann Clayton
And to Leigh: I am deeply indebted to you for getting this project started and for your guidance throughout. Your leadership and friendship have shaped the vet and the person that I am.To my cousin, Anna Feldweg: Thank you so much for all your reviews and excellent advice. Your contributions have been invaluable and I have learnt so much from you.And I am eternally grateful to my mum and dad, Jane and Peter Hadfield, for their support and encouragement. I owe everything to them.
Catherine A. Hadfield
List of Contributors
Ilana R. Alderman Born to Behave Boulder, CO, USA
Shane M. Boylan, DVM South Carolina Aquarium Charleston, SC, USA
Alvin C. Camus, DVM, PhD College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia Athens, GA, USA
Melinda S. Camus, DVM, DACVP College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia Athens, GA, USA
Leigh A. Clayton, DVM, DABVP (Avian, Reptile/Amphibian), eMBA New England Aquarium Boston, MA, USA
Stephen J. Divers, BVet Med, DECZM (Herpetology, ZHM), DACZM, FRCVS College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia Athens, GA, USA
Rolf P. Gobien, MD Clinton X‐Ray Specialists Clinton, NC, USA
Catherine A. Hadfield, MA, Vet MB, MRCVS, DACZM, DECZM Seattle Aquarium Seattle, WA, USA
Lisa A. Hoopes, MA, PhD Georgia Aquarium Atlanta, GA, USA
Elizabeth A. Koutsos, PhD Koutsos Consulting, LLCApex, NC, USA
Stéphane Lair, DVM, DES, DVSc, DACZM Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal Saint‐Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
Lisa M. Mangus, DVM Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore, MD, USA
Michael J. Murray, DVM Monterey Bay Aquarium Monterey, CA, USA
Natalie D. Mylniczenko, DVM, MS, DACZM Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
Donald L. Neiffer, VMD, CVA, DACZM, MHS National Zoological Park and Wildlife Health Sciences, Smithsonian Institution Washington DC, USA
Allan P. Pessier, DVM, DACVP Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory Washington State University Pullman, WA, USA
Andrew B. Pulver National Aquarium Baltimore, MD, USA
Kathryn E. Seeley, DVM, DACZM Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Powell, OH, USA
Kent J. Semmen Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
Izidora Sladakovic, BVSc (Hons I), MVS, DACZM Avian and Exotics Service, Northside Veterinary Specialists Terrey Hills, New South Wales, Australia
M. Andrew Stamper, DVM, DACZM Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
Jamie M. Torres, DVM Audubon Aquarium of the Americas New Orleans, LA, USA
Claire Vergneau‐Grosset, DVM, IPSAV, DACZM Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal Saint‐Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
Section A Fish Medicine Topic Reviews
Introduction
Section A contains chapters on aspects of fish care related to veterinary medicine. The focus is on practical applications to help veterinarians apply their general knowledge to fish patients. Initial topics are anatomy and taxonomy, water quality, life support systems, nutrition, and training and enrichment. These are followed by chapters on clinical examination and diagnostics, including clinical pathology, diagnostic imaging, and necropsy. Anesthesia, analgesia, surgery, and endoscopy are then discussed. The chapter on medical treatment is followed by one focused on immersion medications. This section finishes with discussions on acquisition, transport, and quarantine of fish. Readers are strongly encouraged to review the literature to develop a deeper understanding of these topics.
A1 Anatomy and Taxonomy
Natalie D. Mylniczenko
Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA
Introduction
Working with patients that live in a fluid environment is both interesting and challenging. Many fish are anatomically and physiologically unique; this chapter will focus on clinically relevant anatomical features. The information will be divided into bony and cartilaginous fish (Box A1.1). The bony fish (Osteichthyes) consist of flesh‐finned fish (lungfish and coelacanths) and ray‐finned fish. The ray‐finned fish group is large and includes teleosts as well as sturgeon and gars. The cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes) are divided up into elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays, guitarfish, and sawfish) and chimaeras. Due to the enormous variety across these groups, the level of detail will vary. Other texts provide more detail on order‐ or species‐specific fish anatomy (Gilbert 1973; Harder and Sokoloff 1976; Ashley and Chiasson 1988; Stoskopf 1993; Hamlett 1999; Helfman et al. 2009; De Iuliis and Pulerà 2011; Farrell 2011; Carrier et al. 2012; Roberts and Ellis 2012; Jorgensen and Joss 2016; Nelson et al. 2016).
Anatomy of Bony Fish
Body Plan
Morphologic body shapes of bony fish include fusiform, laterally flattened, ventrally flattened, eel‐like, ribbon‐like, and spheroid (Nikolsky 1963). In these various shapes, different adaptations of common anatomical features are apparent. For example, the coelom of laterally flattened fish (e.g. sole or halibut, Pleuronectiformes) is situated toward the right or left of the animal, ipsilateral to the operculum. When assist‐feeding these fish, the tube is oriented toward the side rather than the midline.
The coelom in most species is found along the ventrum, between the pectoral girdle cranially, vertebrae dorsally, and cloaca or anus caudally. There are exceptions, for example, in electric eels (Electrophorus electricus) and rainbowfish (Melanotaeniidae) the anus has migrated cranially to between the opercula.
Integument
The external layer of mucus is rich in mucopolysaccharides,