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Oregon Sea Grant
I hope all of you enjoyed a pleasant summer. In this issue we will continue with the theme, the fundamentals of fish health management.
I'm always open to any comments or suggestions for future newsletter content. Don't hesitate to contact me at the numbers below.
CONTENTS:
Early recognition of compromised animals is the key to avoiding major health problems in your pond or aquarium. Regular water chemistry testing will help you identify declining water quality conditions but close attention to your fishes behavior and physical appearance will also clue you in to developing health problems. The earlier you can identify behavioral changes and/or signs of disease the better chance you will have to correct health problems through management changes and/or treatment of the affected animals.
Watch your animals daily (that's why you have them). Get to know their normal behaviors through observation, reading, and discussions with others keeping the same species. The better feel you have for what is normal, the sooner you will be able to identify abnormal behaviors and conditions.
Below are some signs often associated with stressed or diseased animals.
Dr. Roy Yanong an extension veterinarian with the state of Florida recently published, Use of Antibiotics in Ornamental Fish Aquaculture. It is available online at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FA084. This publication is a nice overview of appropriate antibiotic use, the major groups of bacteria affecting fish, the importance of a correct diagnosis, and a discussion of some common antibiotics used in the ornamental fish industry. The use of antibiotics should never be taken lightly and they are often unnecessary or inappropriate. In many cases simple management changes may be all that is required to address fish health problems.
Today, the United Nations Environment Program World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) released its report on the marine aquarium trade, entitled From Ocean to Aquarium: The Global Trade in Marine Ornamental Species. The 66-page report can be downloaded from the UNEP web site. The report states that the value of aquarium creatures in trade is worth between $200 to $330 million annually. Over 20 million tropical fish are being are being harvested annually to supply the marine aquarium trade in Europe and the US. An additional 9 to 10 million animals including mollusks, shrimps and anemones, and up to 12 million stony corals are also being harvested, the report estimates.
The Executive Director of UNEP, Klaus Toepfer, states: "For the first time we have an accurate estimate of the number of fish, corals and other animals being taken from coral reefs and brought to public aquariums and fish tanks in homes across Europe and the USA." "The global trade in marine species on the one hand poses a significant risk to valuable ecosystems like coral reefs, but on the other has great potential as a source of desperately needed income for local fishing communities."
The report recommends the continued development of third-party certification schemes, implementation of appropriate quotas, catch size limits, the designation of marine reserves, greater use of permits and a call for greater local farming of commonly traded species.
The data from the report is largely from the Global Marine Aquarium Database, a joint collaborative effort between UNEP-WCMC, the Marine Aquarium Council and members of various aquarium trade associations.
During their December 6, 2002 meeting, the Oregon State Board of Education unanimously approved the Aquarium Science degree program. With this passage, Oregon Coast Community College became the first community college in the country to offer a two-year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Aquarium Science. The origin of this two-year program is based on the tremendous expansion in the public aquarium profession and the ornamental fish business and the resulting need for skilled personnel.
Graduates of the Aquarium Science program will be prepared to work in aquatic animal husbandry at zoos and aquariums as well as related businesses including aquaculture facilities, fish hatcheries, and ornamental fish enterprises. Students will receive both academic and hands-on technical training. In addition to general education requirements, Aquarium Science students will complete the following courses:
Fall admission into the Aquarium Science Program for the fall 2003 term is now closed. Nineteen students are in the first class which began September 26th. The program has attracted individuals from inside and outside of Oregon. Besides Lincoln County, individuals from Benton, Douglas, Lane, Tillamook and Umatilla counties will begin their studies this fall. Individuals from Avalon (CA), Boise (ID), Duluth (MN), Seattle and Brush Prairie (WA) also relocating to Lincoln County this summer.
The program continues to seek creative sources to supplement major funding from the National Science Foundation, the Lincoln County Economic Development Alliance, the Regional Investment Fund, and the Oregon Coast Community College Foundation. Numerous industry sponsors have supported the Aquarium Science program through product and technical support.
The proceeds from the sale of the suitable for framing, 18" x 24" China rockfish lithograph fish print (Gyotaku style) supports the Aquarium Science internship fund. Funds support student-interns during their full-time internship. Cost of this print is $20 if picked-up or $26 if mailed. To order contact: Bruce Koike (bkoike@occc.cc.or.us).
Locally, major partnerships with the Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center and the Oregon Coast Aquarium strengthens the program's offerings and increases student learning opportunities. Industry professionals consider hands-on experiences for students to be a critical success factor of this program.
OCCC is also pleased to announce the appointment of David Beran as the lead instructor and student coordinator of the Aquarium Science Program. Mr. Beran can be contacted at 541-574-7140 or dberan@occc.cc.or.us.
Applications for admission into the Aquarium Science Program during the 2004 fall term are now being accepted. Please visit the OCCC web page at www.occc.cc.or.us or contact Bruce Koike, Aquarium Science Program Director for further information at 541-574-7130.
I would like to thank Peter Enfield for the kind donation of one of his beautiful koi slates in support of the program. This slate will be one of the items up for auction at a fundraising event in the near future.
Many thanks to Larry Tyler for the donation of glass holding tanks. These will be used in our newly remodeled animal holding/teaching laboratory at the Hatfield Marine Science Center.
Anyone who is interested in making monetary donations to this program to help us offset the costs of maintaining this program may make checks out to Oregon State University and send them to me at the address below. You will receive a thank-you letter from Oregon State University that also documents your donation for tax purposes. All donations will be used solely for support of this program and are GREATLY appreciated.
If you are interested in making a donation of goods or services please contact me at the numbers and email below and I can tell you about our current needs.
But if you tame me we shall need each other.
To me, you shall be unique in all the world.
To you, I shall be unique in all the world.
You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed
Antoine de Saint-Expupery (1900-1944)
Tim Miller-Morgan, DVM
Extension Veterinarian/Assistant Professor
Ornamental Aquaculture
Sea Grant Extension/College of Veterinary Medicine
Oregon State University
Hatfield Marine Science Center
2030 Marine Science Drive
Newport, OR 97365
(541) 867-0100 (office)
(541) 270-4218 (cell)
E-mail: tim.miller-morgan@oregonstate.edu
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