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M.P. Gaikowski

Publications and source records attributed to M.P. Gaikowski.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Depletion of florfenicol amine, marker residue of florfenicol, from the edible fillet of tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus x O. niloticus and O. niloticus x O. aureus) following florfenicol administration in feed

Aquaflor ?? , a 50% feed premix containing the broad spectrum antibacterial agent florfenicol is available globally to control mortality associated with economically significant systemic bacterial diseases of fish. Florfenicol (FFC) is effective in controlling mortality associated with Streptococcus iniae in tilapia Oreochromis sp. when administered in medicated feed at a dose of 15 mg/kg bodyweight (BW)/d for 10 consecutive days. Our objective was to characterize the depletion of the FFC marker residue, florfenicol amine (FFA), from the edible tissue of market-weight Nile tilapia O. niloticus x O. niloticus and hybrid tilapia O. niloticus x O. aureus offered feed medicated with FFC at a nominal dose rate of 15 mg/kg BW/d for 12 days. Near market-weight tilapia were obtained from a commercial tilapia farm, distributed to 2 single pass (one for Nile tilapia and one for hybrid tilapia), flow-through systems and maintained at 27 ??C under a 15 h light:9 h dark photoperiod over a 41-d pre-dosing period. During the dosing period, tilapia were offered feed medicated with FFC at a concentration of 1.479 g/kg at 1% BW daily divided in three equal offerings. The initial 10-d dosing period was extended to 12 d because one tank did not consume > 75% of the feed offered during the first two dosing days. The total dose consumed by fish in each of the 2 tanks ranged from 147 to 167 mg/kg. Once during the pre-dose period and on days 1, 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of the post-dose period, groups of fish were indiscriminately removed from each tank, measured for weight and length, scaled, filleted, and the skin-on fillets stored at <-70 ??C. Frozen fillets were individually homogenized, extracted, and FFA concentration was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection. Florfenicol amine is rapidly eliminated from tilapia fillet after withdrawal from medication and depletion followed first-order kinetics with an estimated half-life of 2.32 d. The FFA tolerance limit, calculated as the 99th percentile of the potential residue level at 95% confidence, had depleted to less than the 1 ??g/g maximum residue level by 6.14 d after the dosing period.

Aquaculture↗

Histopathology of repeated, intermittent exposure of chloramine-T to walleye (Sander vitreum) and (Ictalurus punctalus) channel catfish

Chloramine-T (Cl-T) has been used safely and effectively to control bacterial gill disease in salmonids at a maximum exposure regimen of up to four consecutive, once-daily exposures administered for 60??min at 20??mg/L. However, data to document safe treatment concentrations of Cl-T are lacking for freshwater-reared fish other than salmonids. We report the histopathology resultant from the administration of 12 consecutive, once-daily, 180-min static immersion baths of 0, 20, 50, or 80??mg Cl-T/L to walleye (20????C) and channel catfish (27????C). Twelve fish of each species were euthanized immediately before the first exposure (initial controls) and then after the twelfth exposure and 7 and 14??days after the twelfth exposure. Only initial controls and fish euthanized immediately after the twelfth exposure were processed for histological review because of the general lack of exposure-related lesions in exposed fish. The only exposure-related histological changes were in the spleen where significantly greater erythrocyte swelling and necrosis was observed in channel catfish exposed at 80??mg/L relative to exposure at 0??mg/L; similar histological changes were insignificant for walleye, though there appeared to be a shift in the general category of histological change with degenerative changes (necrosis, etc.) observed following exposure at 50 or 80??mg/L compared to the inflammatory and hemodynamic changes (congestion, leukocyte infiltrate, etc.) observed in walleye exposed at 0 or 20??mg/L. The only significant change in peripheral blood cytology was that walleye fingerlings exposed at 80??mg/L had significantly fewer mature red blood cells and significantly more immature red blood cells per oil-immersion field than controls. The histopathological changes observed following exposure to Cl-T under an exaggerated exposure regimen suggest that walleye or channel catfish therapeutically exposed to Cl-T will not have treatment-related histological changes.

Aquaculture↗

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Iodophor Disinfection of Walleye and Northern Pike Eggs to Eliminate Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSv) is a serious fish pathogen that has been responsible for large-scale fish kills in the Great Lakes since 2005. It causes high mortality and resulting outbreaks have severe economic consequences for aquaculture. Iodophor disinfection of salmonid eggs is a standard hatchery practice to reduce the risk of pathogen transfer during gamete collection ('spawning') operations and is thus a leading candidate for reducing VHSv transmission during and after spawning of nonsalmonid fishes. However, before it is incorporated by hatcheries during nonsalmonid fish spawning efforts, its safety and effectiveness needs to be evaluated. The USGS Fact Sheet 2009-3107, 'Evaluation of the Efficacy of Iodophor Disinfection of Walleye and Northern Pike Eggs to Eliminate Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus' presents the results of a study to assess the effectiveness of iodophor disinfection for eliminating VHSv (strain IVb) from fertilized eggs of walleye and northern pike intentionally challenged with VHSv following egg fertilization. Walleye and northern pike egg survival (hatch) following iodophor egg disinfection also was assessed.

Fact Sheet↗

Survival of cool and warm freshwater fish following chloramine-T exposure

Chloramine-T is presently available in the USA to control mortalities associated with bacterial gill disease or external columnaris only through an Investigational New Animal Drug Permit authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Its US approval hinges on FDA's acceptance of several key data, including those describing animal safety. Chloramine-T is presently applied in US aquaculture, by permit only, once daily on consecutive or alternate days for 1??h at 10 to 20??mg/L to control mortalities associated with bacterial gill disease or external columnaris. Our objective was to determine the safety of chloramine-T bath exposures at multiples of the proposed maximum treatment concentration (i.e., 0, 20, 60, 100, and 200??mg/L) administered on four consecutive days at 20????C to lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens, northern pike Esox lucius, and walleye Sander vitreum, or at 27????C to channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides. All fish were tested as five to eight week old fry except for walleye and channel catfish which were tested as both fry and fingerling (fingerlings were at least four weeks older than the fry tested). Walleye and channel catfish were selected to evaluate the effects of life stage (fry vs. fingerling), temperature (walleye - 15, 20, or 25????C; channel catfish - 22, 27, or 32????C), exposure duration (60 vs. 180??min), and water chemistry (walleye only - reconstituted soft water vs. well water). Except for channel catfish fry, survival was significantly reduced only when fish were treated at 100 or 200??mg/L. Channel catfish fry survival was significantly reduced when exposed at 60??mg/L for 180??min at 27????C. Based on our mortality data, chloramine-T administered once daily for 60??min on four consecutive days at concentrations of up to 20??mg/L is not likely to adversely affect survival of cool or warmwater fish cultured in freshwater. Crown Copyright ?? 2007.

Aquaculture↗

Chronic toxicity of hydrogen peroxide to Daphnia magna in a continuous exposure, flow-through test system

A flow-through, continuous exposure test system was developed to expose Daphnia magna to an unstable compound. 35% Perox-Aid?? is a specially formulated hydrogen peroxide (a highly oxidative chemical) product approved for use in U.S. aquaculture and therefore has the potential to be released from aquaculture facilities and pose a risk to aquatic invertebrates. The study objective was to assess the effects of 35% Perox-Aid?? on an aquatic invertebrate by evaluating the survival, growth, production, and gender ratio of progeny from a representative aquatic invertebrate continuously exposed to 35% Perox-Aid??. The study design consisted of 6 treatment groups (10 test chambers each) with target hydrogen peroxide concentrations of 0.0, 0.32, 0.63, 1.25, 2.5, and 5.0??mg L- 1. The study was initiated with < 24-h-old Daphnia (1 daphnid per chamber) that were exposed to hydrogen peroxide for 21??days. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations ??? 1.25??mg L- 1 had no significant effect on Daphnia time to death compared to controls and no significant effect on the time to first brood production and the number of broods produced. Concentrations ??? 0.63??mg L- 1 had no significant effect on the total number of young produced. Concentrations ??? 0.32??mg L- 1 had a negative effect on Daphnia growth. Hydrogen peroxide had no significant effect on the gender ratio of young produced. All second generation Daphnia were female. A continuous discharge of hydrogen peroxide into aquatic ecosystems is not likely to affect cladocerans if the concentration is maintained at ??? 0.63??mg L- 1 for less than 21??days.

Science of the Total Environment↗

Efficacy of hydrogen peroxide versus formalin treatments to control mortality associated with saprolegniasis on lake trout eggs

We compared the efficacy of hydrogen peroxide versus formalin treatments to control fungal infections on eggs of lake trout Salvelinus namaycush incubated at a hatchery in Wisconsin. Four strains of lake trout eggs were incubated in six vertical-flow Heath incubators; three replicate incubators for each chemical. Each incubator had 13 trays containing approximately 25,000-30,000 eggs/tray. Formalin (1,667 mg/L) or hydrogen peroxide (1,000 mg/L) treatments were administered once daily for 15 min up to the development of visible eye spots in the eggs (eyed egg stage). Eyed and dead eggs were separated using a photoelectric egg sorter, and the number of live and dead eggs was determined volumetrically. In the hydrogen peroxide test group, the bottom trays of each incubator had fungus present on the eggs, whereas no fungus was observed on eggs treated with formalin. The mean percentage of eyed eggs for an incubator treated with formalin (75%) was significantly greater than an incubator treated with hydrogen peroxide (70%). Formalin was the most efficacious therapeutant; however, both therapeutants were effective in increasing lake trout egg survival up to the eyed egg stage. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2005.

North American Journal of Aquaculture↗

Use of hydrogen peroxide during incubation of landlocked fall Chinook salmon eggs in vertical-flow incubators

Six different hydrogen peroxide treatment regimes were evaluated in a series of three trials with landlocked fall Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha eggs incubated in vertical-flow incubators. Six daily 15-min hydrogen peroxide treatment regimes (1,000 mg/L; 1,000 mg/L with a decrease to 500 mg/L during estimated blastopore formation; 2,000 mg/L; 2,000 mg/L with a decrease to 500 mg/L during estimated blastopore formation; 2,500 mg/L; and 2,500 mg/L with a decrease to 500 mg/L during estimated blastopore formation) were compared with daily 15-min treatments of 1,667 mg/L of formalin. Mortality at egg eye-up and fry hatch and from eye-up to hatch was significantly greater in eggs receiving the 2,500-mg/L hydrogen peroxide treatments throughout incubation and in those receiving 2,500 mg/L hydrogen peroxide with a decrease to 500 mg/L during blastopore formation than in either of the 1,000-mg/L hydrogen peroxide treatment regimes or the formalin-treated eggs in the first trial. No significant differences in mortality were observed among any of the treatments in the subsequent two trials with maximum hydrogen peroxide concentrations of 2,000 mg/L. Fungal infestations were observed primarily in the incubation trays treated at either of the 1,000-mg/L hydrogen peroxide regimens, as well as in those trays whose treatment concentrations were dropped to 500 mg/L during blastopore formation. Infestations were not observed in any of the formalin-treated trays. If minor fungal infestation is acceptable, then daily hydrogen peroxide treatments of 1,000 mg/L for 15 min would probably provide adequate fungal control compared with formalin usage.

South Dakota↗

Efficacy of hydrogen peroxide to control saprolegniasis on channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) eggs

The efficacy of hydrogen peroxide to control mortality associated with saprolegniasis in channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) eggs was evaluated at the Lost Valley State Fish Hatchery (Warsaw, MO). Two efficacy trials were conducted. In Trial 1, channel catfish eggs in their natural gelatinous matrix were treated with hydrogen peroxide at 0, 500, and 750 mg l(-1). Channel catfish eggs in Trial 2 had the gelatinous matrix removed before treatment with hydrogen peroxide at 0 and 500 mg l(-1). Each treatment regimen was tested in triplicate and each egg jar contained similar to 17,400 eggs. Hydrogen peroxide was administered as a 15-min flow-through treatment applied once daily for a total of six applications. Control jars were similarly treated with culture water. Samples of exposure water were collected during each treatment and analyzed to verify actual treatment concentrations. Hydrogen peroxide treatment efficacy was assessed by comparing the percent egg hatch in the treatment group to the untreated control group in each trial. Mean percent hatch in Trial I was 44% (control), 54% (500 mg l(-1)), and 69% (750 mg l(-1)). Hydrogen peroxide treatment at either 500 or 750 mg l(-1) significantly (P<0.01) increased the percent hatch compared to the untreated control group. In Trial 2, hydrogen peroxide treatment at 500 mg l(-1) significantly (P<0.01) increased the percent egg hatch (67%) relative to the untreated controls (57%). Hydrogen peroxide treatment reduced egg mortality and increased the percent hatch of channel catfish eggs regardless of whether eggs were incubated in the gelatinous matrix or without the matrix in comparison to the untreated control.

Missouri↗

Validation of two dilution models to predict chloramine-T concentrations in aquaculture facility effluent

Accurate estimates of drug concentrations in hatchery effluent are critical to assess the environmental risk of hatchery drug discharge resulting from disease treatment. This study validated two dilution simple n models to estimate chloramine-T environmental introduction concentrations by comparing measured and predicted chloramine-T concentrations using the US Geological Survey's Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center aquaculture facility effluent as an example. The hydraulic characteristics of our treated raceway and effluent and the accuracy of our water flow rate measurements were confirmed with the marker dye rhodamine WT. We also used the rhodamine WT data to develop dilution models that would (1) estimate the chloramine-T concentration at a given time and location in the effluent system and (2) estimate the average chloramine-T concentration at a given location over the entire discharge period. To test our models, we predicted the chloramine-T concentration at two sample points based on effluent flow and the maintenance of chloramine-T at 20 mg/l for 60 min in the same raceway used with rhodamine WT. The effluent sample points selected (sample points A and B) represented 47 and 100% of the total effluent flow, respectively. Sample point B is-analogous to the discharge of a hatchery that does not have a detention lagoon, i.e. The sample site was downstream of the last dilution water addition following treatment. We then applied four chloramine-T flow-through treatments at 20mg/l for 60 min and measured the chloramine-T concentration in water samples collected every 15 min for about 180 min from the treated raceway and sample points A and B during and after application. The predicted chloramine-T concentration at each sampling interval was similar to the measured chloramine-T concentration at sample points A and B and was generally bounded by the measured 90% confidence intervals. The predicted aver,age chloramine-T concentrations at sample points A or B (2.8 and 1.3 mg/l, respectively) were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the average measured chloramine-T concentrations (2.7 and 1.3 mg/l, respectively). The close agreement between our predicted and measured chloramine-T concentrations indicate either of the dilution models could be used to adequately predict the chloramine-T environmental introduction concentration in Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center effluent.

Aquacultural Engineering↗

Depletion of the chloramine-T marker residue, para-toluenesulfonamide, from skin-on fillet tissue of hybrid striped bass, rainbow trout, and yellow perch

Waterborne exposure to n-sodium-n-chloro-p-toluenesulfonamide (chloramine-T) is an effective treatment for controlling fish mortalities caused by bacterial gill disease (BGD). Currently, data are being generated to gain United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the use of chloramine-T in aquaculture. As part of the data required for an approval, depletion of the chloramine-T marker residue (para-toluenesulfonamide [p-TSA]) from the edible fillet tissue of exposed fish must be determined. Hybrid striped bass (Morone saxatilis??Morone chrysops; mean weight 357 g), rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss; mean weight 457 g), and yellow perch (Perca flavescens; mean weight 144 g) were exposed to 20 mg/l of chloramine-T for 60 min on 4 consecutive days (the most aggressive treatment expected for approved use in the United States). Groups of fish (n=15 or 19) were sampled immediately after the last treatment and periodically through 48 or 168 h after the treatment phase. Duplicate subsamples of skin-on fillet tissue from each fish were analyzed for p-TSA. Mean p-TSA concentrations in fillet tissue from fish sampled immediately after the last treatment were 142 ng/g (hybrid striped bass), 97 ng/g (rainbow trout), and 150 ng/g (yellow perch). Mean p-TSA concentrations at terminal sample times were 94 (168 h; hybrid striped bass), 74 (48 h; rainbow trout), and 35 ng/g (168 h; yellow perch). The half-lives of p-TSA in fillet tissue from fish near or at market size were 11.4 (hybrid striped bass), 4.3 (rainbow trout), and 3.2 days (yellow perch).

Aquaculture↗

Safety of oxytetracycline (Terramycin TM-100F) administered in feed to hybrid striped bass, walleyes, and yellow perch

Oxytetracycline (Terramycin TM-100F, a medicated premix containing oxytetracycline at 220 g/kg) is approved in the United States to control certain systemic bacterial diseases of salmon and catfish when fed at a rate of 55-82.5 mg per kilogram of bodyweight per day for 10 d. Although oxytetracycline may also control certain systemic bacterial infections in coolwater or scaled warmwater fish, no safety data for such species are available. Our objective was to determine the safety of oxytetracycline administered in feed at nominal doses of 0, 82.5, 248, or 413 mg??kg-1??d-1 to yellow perch Perca flavescens and hybrid striped bass (striped bass Morone saxatilis x white bass M. chrysops) for 10 d and to walleye Sander vitreus (formerly Stizostedion vitreum) for 20 d. Yellow perch and hybrid striped bass consumed 50% to 100% of the diet, whereas walleye feed consumption was occasionally less than 50% of the diet. Feed or fecal material was present in the gastrointestinal tract of all necropsied walleyes except for one control fish. The single growth effect was that hybrid striped bass offered a nominal dose of 413 mg??kg-1??d-1 were significantly smaller than untreated controls. Oxytetracycline-related histopathological findings were limited to walleyes and were of low severity. The histopathological findings included decreased hematopoietic-lymphopoietic (H&L) tissue in the anterior kidneys, diffuse hyperplasia of the gill filament epithelium, and a decreased prevalence of fish with eosinophilic droplets in their renal tubular epithelial cells. Although the incidence of decreased H&L tissue tended to increase in proportion to oxytetracycline dose, this finding was statistically significant only for fish that received a nominal dose of 413 mg??kg-1??d-1. Given the pathogenicity of the types of bacteria that are controlled by oxytetracycline treatment and the long history of its use in major aquaculture species, the relative risk of the minor oxytetracycline-related changes observed in this study may be outweighed by disease control benefits.

Journal of Aquatic Animal Health↗

Efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in controlling mortality associated with saprolegniasis on walleye, white sucker, and paddlefish eggs

The efficacy of hydrogen peroxide in controlling saprolegniasis on eggs of walleye Stizostedion vitreum, white sucker Catostomus commersoni, and paddlefish Polyodon spathula was evaluated at four private, state, and federal production hatcheries participating in an Investigational New Animal Drug efficacy study (experiment 1; walleyes) and in a laboratory-based miniature egg jar incubation system (experiment 2; walleyes, white suckers, and paddlefish). Naturally occurring fungal infestations (saprolegniasis) were observed on eggs in both experiments. Confirmatory diagnosis of infested eggs from one hatchery in experiment 1 identified the pathogen as Saprolegnia parasitica. During experiment 1, eggs were treated daily for 15 min with either 0, 500, or 750 mg/L of hydrogen peroxide, and one trial compared a 500-mg/L hydrogen peroxide treatment with a formalin treatment at 1,667 mg/L. Saprolegniasis infestation was observed in control egg jars, whereas treatment with either formalin or hydrogen peroxide virtually eliminated the infestation. Hydrogen peroxide treatments of 500 mg/L either increased egg hatch or were as effective as physical removal of infested eggs in controlling mortality. Although treatment with formalin at 1,667 mg/L significantly increased the percent eye-up of walleye eggs compared with that of those treated with hydrogen peroxide at 500 mg/L, the difference was only 1.9-2.6%. In experiment 2, noneyed eggs were treated for 15 min every other day with 0, 283, 565, or 1,130 mg/L of hydrogen peroxide until the viable eggs hatched. Saprolegniasis infestation engulfed most control eggs, whereas infestation of treated eggs was either reduced or not visible. Hydrogen peroxide significantly increased egg hatch for all three species tested in experiment 2. Although hydrogen peroxide treatments as low as 283 mg/L significantly increased walleye and white sucker hatch, treatments between 500 and 1,000 mg/L are more likely to be effective in production egg incubation systems.

North American Journal of Aquaculture↗

Efficacy of hydrogen peroxide to control mortalities associated with bacterial gill disease infections on hatchery-reared salmonids

The efficacy of hydrogen peroxide to control mortalities associated with bacterial gill disease (BGD) was evaluated in three trials conducted at two Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources hatcheries. Microscopic examination of the fish gills before treatment revealed gill damage and the presence of bacteria indicative of BGD. In separate trials, brown trout Salmo trutta , chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha , and rainbow trout O. mykiss were exposed to hydrogen peroxide concentrations of 0, 56, 110, or 230 mg/L for 30 or 60 min every other day. In all three trials, at least one of the hydrogen peroxide treatment regimens reduced cumulative fish mortality in comparison with the controls. Exposures of 230 mg/L for 60 min increased the risk of mortality in brown trout and chinook salmon relative to that at other treatment concentrations. Exposures of up to 230 mg/L for 30 min decreased the risk of mortality in rainbow trout. Posttreatment qualitative gill examination indicated that gills of the treated fish appeared normal, whereas the gills of control fish exhibited pale coloration, clubbing of filaments, and lamellar fusion. On the basis of the efficacy data, two static bath treatment regimens were effective in the control of BGD: hydrogen peroxide administered at concentrations of 56–110 mg/L as a 60-min exposure or hydrogen peroxide administered at concentrations of 56–230 mg/L as a 30-min exposure.

Journal of Aquatic Animal Health↗

Acute toxicity of hydrogen peroxide treatments to selected lifestages of cold-, cool-, and warmwater fish

Hatchery personnel depend on therapeutant treatments to control diseases. Currently, hatchery managers in the United States are limited to one approved therapeutant (formalin) and three compounds of Low Regulatory Priority (sodium chloride, hydrogen peroxide, and acetic acid) to control external diseases of cultured fish. Hydrogen peroxide has been used to effectively control external columnaris and bacterial gill disease in rainbow trout, however, definitive safe treatment concentrations for hydrogen peroxide are lacking for a variety of species. We report the acute toxicity of hydrogen peroxide treatments to 11 species of fry and 13 species of fingerling freshwater fish. Most mortality occurred within the first 30 h after the first exposure to hydrogen peroxide with little change in the overall shape of survival curves over time. Our data predict that in an actual therapeutic application of hydrogen peroxide, most treatment-related mortalities would be observed shortly after the initial exposure. Coolwater species were more sensitive than coldwater species but were generally similar to warmwater species tested. Based on our mortality data, coldwater species and largemouth bass may be treated for 60 min at concentrations of ??? 150 ??l/l without harmful effects; all muskellunge, walleye, bluegill, channel catfish, yellow perch, pallid sturgeon fingerlings, fathead minnow fingerlings, white sucker fingerlings, and northern pike fry may be treated for 60 min at ??? 100 ??l/l; and northern pike fingerlings and white sucker, yellow perch and fathead minnow fry may be treated for 60 min at ??? 50 ??l/l.

Aquaculture↗

Effects of immobilization by electricity and MS-222 on brown trout broodstock and their progeny

To determine the effects of electrically and chemically induced immobilization on postspawn broodstock and their progeny, age‐2 and age‐3 female broodstock and age‐2 male broodstock of brown trout Salmo trutta were immobilized with electricity or tricaine methanesulfonate (MS‐222), stripped of their eggs or milt, and weighed. Eggs taken from electrically immobilized females were fertilized with milt taken from age‐2 males that were immobilized with electricity, and eggs taken from females immobilized with MS‐222 were fertilized with milt taken from age‐2 males that were immobilized with MS‐222. After spawning, the mortality and weight of broodstock were compared twice over a 6‐month period. Egg viability and growth of offspring fry from each treatment group were also compared. Electricity induced complete and consistent immobilization in brown trout broodstock. Electrically immobilized fish were more easily handled than fish immobilized with MS‐222; however, electrically immobilized fish survival (70%) was significantly less than fish immobilized with MS‐222 (83%). Broodstock growth differences were only noted at 6 months postexposure, when the mean weight of electrically immobilized fish was slightly less than the weight of fish immobilized with MS‐222. Broodstock immobilization by electricity did not reduce egg viability or fry growth.

Progressive Fish-Culturist↗

Toxicity of hydrogen peroxide treatments to rainbow trout eggs

Hydrogen peroxide treatments of 0, 500, 1,000, and 3,000 I?L/L, concentrations that were multiples of the Low Regulatory Priority limit of 500 I?L/L, were administered for 15 min every weekday (Mondaya??Friday) to eggs of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) to determine the margin of safety existing for standard egg treatments. All untreated and treated eggs remained free of fungal infection throughout incubation. Hydrogen peroxide treatment reduced the mean percent hatch of rainbow trout eggs by 1.4a??5.9% among those treated at 500 I?L/L, 6.8a??15.4% among those treated at 1,000 I?L/L, and 13.2a??25.3% among those treated at 3,000 I?L/L. Mean percent hatch of rainbow trout eggs treated at 1,000 I?L H2O2/L was 7% lower than that for eggs treated at 500 I?L H2O2/L. Mean percent hatch of Skamania strain steelhead was significantly reduced by hydrogen peroxide treatment, whereas the mean percent hatch of Ganaraska strain steelhead was similar to the mean percent hatch of rainbow trout eggs. Daily percent mortality of rainbow trout eggs increased significantly from day 6 to day 10 (78a??135 daily temperature units, DTUsA?C) of incubation. Discontinuing hydrogen peroxide treatments to Skamania strain steelhead eggs from day 7 to day 11 (78a??105 DTUsA?C) of incubation significantly increased the probability of eggs reaching the eyed egg stage. The mean percent hatch of rainbow trout eggs treated with hydrogen peroxide at concentrations up to 1,000 I?L/L may be increased if no treatments are administered between 70 and 140 DTUsA?C. Mortality of sac fry was not observed at hydrogen peroxide concentrations of 1,000 I?L/L or lower. Fish culturists should be aware that other species or strains may be more sensitive than rainbow trout. Other species and strains should be initially treated with hydrogen peroxide at 500 I?L/L until monitoring of egg mortality identifies the presence or absence of a sensitive period.

Journal of Aquatic Animal Health↗

Importance of analytically verifying chemical treatments

Hydrogen peroxide is considered a low regμLatory priority compound by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is used to control fungal infections on fish eggs. We studied the treatment profiles of hydrogen peroxide in Heath, McDonald egg jar, and Clark–Williamson incubators during treatments intended to deliver an effective regimen of at least 500 μL hydrogen peroxide/L (i.e., treatments of 500 and 1,000 μL/L) for 15 min. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations decreased with increasing distance from the influent water in both Heath and Clark–Williamson incubators. The top treatment tray (tray 2) of the Heath incubator received more than 90% of the intended regimen during the 500 μL/L treatment, whereas at 1,000 μL/L, all trays had hydrogen peroxide concentrations at or above 500 μL/L for 15 min. None of the compartments in the Clark–Williamson incubator received the intended therapeutic regimen when treated at 500 μL/L. The McDonald egg jar system distributed the intended concentration for the designated treatment period in all jars, except those located directly below the influent water. Our results indicate that dilution of therapeutants applied through certain egg incubation systems significantly decreases the efficacy of treatments and may render them ineffective, The dilution characteristics of egg incubation systems should be assessed in order to ensure proper delivery of all intended chemical concentrations and exposure regimens. Suggestions for maintaining the minimum effective concentrations in evaluated incubators are included.

Progressive Fish-Culturist↗