Off to the NAW conference!

[FUGU]

A fun w/e ahead! The National Aquarium Workshop is an annual event for public aquaria, zoos, fisheries colleges, vets etc and we'll have a trade stand this year. I'll see about taking some pictures of some new equipment and feeds on offer. Cheers! ;)

FUGU

[FUGU]

The NAW conference was a good bash although I didn’t get the chance to see all the talks; here’s a selection of some that may interest UR members and any errors in my reporting I apologise! I would have updated earlier had I not picked up flu' N.B. Some photos of some new equipment to follow.


Loggerhead turtle; rehabilitation and release by Matt Slater of Blue Reef Newquay:

A great presentation the rescue of loggerheads found of the British Isles. Most years less than 10 turtles are washed up, this year already 34 have been stranded; mostly dead or in a really weak state. Common conditions were dehydration, exhaustion, bacterial infection, cuts, and shell damage. The rehabilitation process includes wound treatment, gradual water temp. increase, and tube feeding with rehydration fluids. Other work carried out as and when necessary include treatment for fungal lung and internal infections. To prevent jaw muscle damage during tube feeding colonic rehydration was adopted and although described as messy it proved very successful.


Use of the sea slug Berghia verrucosa to control Aiptasia by Graham Burrows of National Sea Life Birmingham:

A very interesting bio control experiment in a 50,000 litre tank following some painful and probably expensive previous attempts to control Aiptasia in a cownose ray display. The bio control programme was established from a single 5mm Berghia verrucosa in a test culture tank. Progress of the culture was assessed by sampling the substrate for Berghia and observing a gradual clearance of Aiptasia. A subculture was then introduced to the substrate in the cownose tank and protected with an acrylic ‘tent’. Within a short space of time the area below the acrylic tent could be seen to be cleared of Aiptasia, this area grew as the Berghia became established, and the tent was removed. The end result was the entire substrate was cleared of Aiptasia, with the ones remaining on the rocks being left to be managed by fish control.


Mycobacterium in the Aquarium by Alex Cliffe Zoological Society London:

An extremely graphic and scary talk from Alex who experienced first hand(!) how painful a Mycobacterium infection can be. There has been a steady increase in zoonotic cases in aquariums. Mycobacterium marinum is the most common, is present in both freshwater and marine environments, and can affect both humans and fish. Infected fish can exhibit severe external ulceration or granuloma infestations of internal organs. Human infections occur in the extremities such as the hands as the bacteria favours temperatures lower than 37 degrees C.

The main take home point is to avoid tank work if you have any open cuts or take great care to cover up and seek medical advice ASAP should any painful swellings in the fingers develop.