Whole-genome sequencing and analysis of strain isolated from the brain of tilapia ( sp.).

is a bacterium that can infect fish, mammals, and humans. In this study, the -313 strain was isolated from the brain of an infected tilapia, and the analysis of its sequenced genome is reported. The data revealed that -313 carried antibiotic-resistant genes and virulence factors.

Francisella sciaenopsi sp. nov. isolated from diseased red drum Sciaenops ocellatus in Florida, USA.

Piscine francisellosis is one of the most important bacterial diseases affecting various fish species worldwide. Francisella orientalis, F. noatunensis, and F.

Larval digestive system ontogeny and early weaning in neon tetra Paracheirodon innesi.

The intensive culture of characid teleosts for ornamental trade is highly dependent on live feed organisms, particularly Artemia nauplii, to provide nutrition through the larval stage. Live feeds have inherent disadvantages relative to prepared microparticulate diets (MDs), specifically availability, labor and cost. In this research, the dependence of larval Paracheirodon innesi on live Artemia was confirmed via a nutritional trial.

A scuticociliate causes mass mortality of in the Caribbean Sea.

Echinoderm mass mortality events shape marine ecosystems by altering the dynamics among major benthic groups. The sea urchin , virtually extirpated in the Caribbean in the early 1980s by an unknown cause, recently experienced another mass mortality beginning in January 2022. We investigated the cause of this mass mortality event through combined molecular biological and veterinary pathologic approaches comparing grossly normal and abnormal animals collected from 23 sites, representing locations that were either affected or unaffected at the time of sampling.

Cutaneous ulcerative lesions of unknown etiology affecting lionfish Pterois spp. in the Gulf of Mexico.

Objective: Cutaneous ulcerative skin lesions in a complex of invasive Gulf of Mexico lionfish (Red Lionfish Pterois volitans, Devil Firefish P. miles, and the hybrid Red Lionfish × Devil Firefish) became epizootic beginning in mid-August 2017. Herein, we provide the first pathological descriptions of these lesions and summarize our analyses to elucidate the etiology of the disease.

Huffmanela cf. huffmani (Nematoda: Trichosomoididae) infecting swim bladder, peritoneum, and gonad of variable platyfish, Xiphophorus variatus (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) and eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki (Poeciliidae) in Florida; taxonomy, phylogenetic analysis, and pathological changes.

Variable platyfish, Xiphophorus variatus (Meek, 1904) (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae) and eastern mosquitofish, Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859 (Poeciliidae) from earthen ponds in west central Florida were examined for parasitic infections. At necropsy, we observed myriad nematodes (adults and eggs), which we identified as Huffmanela cf. huffmani, infecting the swim bladder, gonad, and visceral peritoneum.

Complete genome sequences of infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus isolated from farmed albino rainbow sharks Epalzeorhynchos frenatum in the United States.

The genus Megalocytivirus includes viruses known to cause significant disease in aquacultured fish stocks. Herein, we report the complete genome sequences of two megalocytiviruses (MCVs) isolated from diseased albino rainbow sharks Epalzeorhynchos frenatum reared on farms in the United States in 2018 and 2019. Histopathological examination revealed typical megalocytivirus microscopic lesions (i.

Preliminary Investigations into Use of Metomidate for Euthanasia of Ornamental Fishes.

The goals of this study were to investigate the potential use of metomidate for one-step euthanasia of ornamental fish species representing commonly sold families in the ornamental fish trade and to determine a baseline euthanasia dose for most species tested. Metomidate hydrochloride, a rapid-acting, water-soluble, nonbarbiturate hypnotic related to etomidate, was tested at various concentrations and durations for euthanasia of species representing the following freshwater and marine aquarium fish families: Apogonidae, Ariidae, Blenniidae, Callichthyidae, Characidae, Cichlidae, Cyprinidae, Gobiidae, Gyrinocheilidae, Loricariidae, Melanotaeniidae, Osphronemidae, Pimelodidae, Poeciliidae, Pomacentridae, and Pseudochromidae. Fish in each trial were euthanized as a group (n = 1).

Blood Analyte Changes of Wild-Caught Adult Almaco Jack in Response to Acclimation to Recirculating Aquaculture Systems and Hyposalinity Treatment.

Despite the utility of blood analyte evaluation as a diagnostic tool to assist in monitoring the health of marine fishes, baseline data are often lacking for many commercially important finfish species. The objective of this study was to compare hematology and plasma chemistry data for adult wild-caught Almaco Jack Seriola rivoliana at time of capture and again following a period of acclimation to a recirculating aquaculture system and hyposalinity treatment. A total of 30 clinically healthy adult fish were caught via hook and line in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, approximately 120 mi offshore from Madeira Beach, Florida.

Gastrointestinal entamoebiasis in captive anurans in North America.

Infections with Entamoeba spp. are recognized as a cause of clinical disease in many species including humans and reptiles; however, cases in amphibians are under-reported. Investigation of a mortality event among a captive population of Cranwell's horned frogs Ceratophrys cranwelli at a production facility in Florida, USA, revealed that deaths were due to the newly described Entamoeba species CT1.

Tetra disseminated microsporidiosis: a novel disease in ornamental fish caused by Fusasporis stethaprioni n. gen. n. sp.

A novel microsporidial disease was documented in two ornamental fish species, black tetra Gymnocorymbus ternetzi Boulenger 1895 and cardinal tetra Paracheirodon axelrodi Schultz 1956. The non-xenoma-forming microsporidium occurred diffusely in most internal organs and the gill, thus referring to the condition as tetra disseminated microsporidiosis (TDM). The occurrence of TDM in black tetra was associated with chronic mortality in a domestic farmed population, while the case in cardinal tetra occurred in moribund fish while in quarantine at a public aquarium.

Reference Intervals for Blood Analytes of Adult Aquarium-Housed Russian Sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii.

Russian Sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii are an important, critically endangered, roe-producing species. Despite a wealth of knowledge pertaining to other members of family Acipenseridae, there is very limited published information regarding baseline blood analytes in Russian Sturgeon. The objectives of this study were (1) to establish reference intervals for a suite of hematological and biochemical data and (2) to compare plasma chemistry data to two point-of-care (POC) cartridges, tested on the VetScan iSTAT 1 analyzer, that use heparinized whole blood for the assessment of clinically normal, aquacultured adult Russian Sturgeon sedated with eugenol (AQUI-S 20E) at a single institution.

Hematology and Biochemistry Panel Reference Intervals for Captive Saddleback Clownfish Amphiprion polymnus and Tomato Clownfish A. frenatus.

Reference intervals of blood analytes are important diagnostic tools that clinicians use as a basis for making clinical decisions and that have been documented for many fish species. Although the effects of dietary supplementation on hematology and blood biochemistry variables in clownfish have been shown, there are no published reference intervals to date for routine hematology and blood biochemistry panels for these popular cultured marine fish (including Amphiprion spp.).

Characterization of a novel picornavirus isolated from moribund aquacultured clownfish.

Over the last decade, a number of USA aquaculture facilities have experienced periodic mortality events of unknown aetiology in their clownfish (). Clinical signs of affected individuals included lethargy, altered body coloration, reduced body condition, tachypnea, and abnormal positioning in the water column. Samples from outbreaks were processed for routine parasitological, bacteriological, and virological diagnostic testing, but no consistent parasitic or bacterial infections were observed.

Description of sp. nov., an emergent fish pathogen, and assessment of virulence using a tiger barb () infection model.

A recently described emergent disease of ornamental fish has been associated with an species positive for the surface protective antigen () C gene. Whole genome sequencing was performed on five isolates from diseased ornamental fish. In addition, these isolates were compared to and other -positive species isolated from terrestrial and marine mammals, birds and fish using multi-locus sequence analysis (MLSA).

Endocardiosis in Tetras (Family Characiformes).

Proliferative, myxomatous change was identified in the cardiac valves (i.e. valvular endocardiosis) with extension into some cardiac walls (i.

First Record of A Species of Mermithidae Braun, 1883 Infecting a Decapod, Palaemon paludosus (Palaemonidae).

The hemocoel of 26 of 30 (86%) eastern grass shrimps, Palaemon paludosus (Gibbes, 1850) (Decapoda: Palaemonidae), captured during June 2017 from several freshwater lakes near Leesburg and Lake Kissimmee, Florida, was infected by juveniles of a nematode species (Mermithidae sp.). Some infected eastern grass shrimps were preserved whole for histopathology, whereas others were dissected to excise parasitic juvenile nematodes, and still others were kept alive in glass aquaria such that post-parasitic (emerged) juvenile nematodes could be opportunistically observed alive and ultimately preserved.

Phylogenomic characterization of red seabream iridovirus from Florida pompano Trachinotus carolinus maricultured in the Caribbean Sea.

Between 2010 and 2016, six mortality events were observed in Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) maricultured in the Dominican Republic. Histopathological examination and conventional PCR confirmed a megalocytivirus (MCV) infection in each case. Subsequently, next-generation sequencing and phylogenomic analyses confirmed that MCV DNA was present in the infected pompano tissue samples from 2010, 2014, and 2016, and each was determined to be red seabream iridovirus (RSIV).

Establishing a Diagnostic Technique for Coelomocentesis in the Long-Spined Sea Urchin Diadema antillarum.

Coelomic fluid aspiration has been utilized in echinoderms in research and clinical settings. Detailed procedural descriptions for coelomic fluid sampling in sea urchins (class Echinoidea) are lacking, and samples are prone to contamination. The objectives of this study were to (1) standardize a technique for coelomic fluid collection in long-spined sea urchin Diadema antillarum that optimizes the diagnostic quality of the sample utilizing diagnostic imaging, (2) identify coelomic fluid bacterial isolates (using Biolog GEN III MicroLog and 16s rDNA sequencing), and (3) compare positive cultures to animal weight, holding time prior to sampling, water temperature, and gross fluid appearance.

Phylogenomic characterization of two novel members of the genus Megalocytivirus from archived ornamental fish samples.

The genus Megalocytivirus is the most recently described member of the family Iridoviridae; as such, little is known about the genetic diversity of this genus of globally emerging viral fish pathogens. We sequenced the genomes of 2 megalocytiviruses (MCVs) isolated from epizootics involving South American cichlids (oscar Astronotus ocellatus and keyhole cichlid Cleithracara maronii) and three spot gourami Trichopodus trichopterus sourced through the ornamental fish trade during the early 1990s. Phylogenomic analyses revealed the South American cichlid iridovirus (SACIV) and three spot gourami iridovirus (TSGIV) possess 116 open reading frames each, and form a novel clade within the turbot reddish body iridovirus genotype (TRBIV Clade 2).

Odontomas in two long-finned ocellaris clownfish ( Amphiprion ocellaris).

Two adult long-finned ocellaris clownfish ( Amphiprion ocellaris) from 2 different aquaculture facilities were examined at the University of Florida, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory for oral masses. Incisional biopsies were obtained from the masses under anesthesia, and histologic examination revealed both to be odontomas. Most benign odontomas are classified as hamartomas (disorganized proliferations of tissues found normally at the site of origin).

Characterization of spaC-type Erysipelothrix sp. isolates causing systemic disease in ornamental fish.

Since 2012, low-to-moderate mortality associated with an Erysipelothrix sp. bacterium has been reported in ornamental fish. Histological findings have included facial cellulitis, necrotizing dermatitis and myositis, and disseminated coelomitis with abundant intralesional Gram-positive bacterial colonies.