Husbandry Abstracts
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Effects of 2-phenoxyethanol C6H10O2
as a means of humane euthanasia for three common aquarium tropical teleosts; Bicolor Damsel Stegastes partitus, Bluehead Wrasse Thalassoma bifasciatum and French Grunt Haemulon flavolineatum in a captive environment Erika Pinney, Dynasty Marine Associates Inc Watch Video (Login required) . Full Abstract
The three teleost’s chosen for this study are commonly seen species at many public aquariums worldwide, and are the focus species for this study. Subjects (N=20/species) were administered a given amount of 2-Phenoxyethanol for a 20 minute maximum induction period. The objective of this study was to create an ideal dosage for these listed species that would ensure virtually no suffering/discomfort during euthanasia based on observations of respiration changes and response to external stimuli. Dosage of this medication ranged from .04 ml L-1- 2 ml L-1 to determine an efficient and effective amount of medication. After the three species were researched; it can be suggested that a concentration of 1.2ml L-1 for humane euthanasia on smaller warm water marine teleosts in an exposure time of twenty minutes. |
“To Catch a Pristid” … or How Many Aquarists Does it Take to Lift a 375 lb. Sawfish? Lise Watson, John G. Shedd Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
At Shedd Aquarium, a surgical intervention to remove a rapidly growing papilloma necessitated the need to capture, handle and provide support for a 13.5 foot (4.1 meter) 375lb (170 kg) green sawfish (Pristis zijsron). Although a variety of methods exist to successfully catch and handle adult sawfish, special considerations regarding habitat infrastructure, potential risks to staff and animal, along with the quantity of staff and specialized equipment needed, had to be realized before a safe and successful procedure could be achieved. Increasingly, more facilities may face similar challenges when managing large sawfish. With ongoing husbandry advancements and more frequent handling for addressing medical issues, providing advanced preventative veterinary care may be required. Shedd Aquarium will present the challenges we faced in our facility, and the methods and procedures used to overcome them. |
The Use of Physiotherapy in Aquatic Animals Marina Tsamoulos, Manly SeaLife Sanctuary Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Physiotherapy is a relatively new discipline in the animal field. It involves the treatment of disease or injury by physical means such as massage, heat treatment and exercise. The potential uses across species (with some species-specific modifications) is vast and a valuable resource in rehabilitating both captive and rescued animals. There is therefore potential in using this form of treatment for rehabilitating time to be reduced, or rescued animals previously deemed unreleasable to be suitable for return to the wild. The possible applications and benefits of utilising this form of therapy in wildlife cases were assessed through treatment of a Port Jackson Shark, Flatback Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle, Little Penguin and an Eastern Water Dragon that were considered to be suitable candidates. Each animal had a different form of trauma and their quality of life was impacted. The physiotherapy protocol was altered to suit each case. All but the dragon made a full recovery. The dragon recovered partially but the suspected neural damage prevented further recuperation. |
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Using Electricity to
Bridge Temperate Sharks during Positive Reinforcement Training Mark Murray, Oregon Coast Aquarium Watch Video (Login required) Full Abstract
Current training of elasmobranchs consists mainly of classical conditioning. Adding a bridge to elasmobranch training could greatly increase the number of learned behaviors. This method would allow many different species of sharks, skates, and rays to be easily trained to load into a stretcher in a matter of weeks or months rather than months or years. Normally a neutral stimulus such as a target is paired with a biological stiumulus. Positive reinforcement training can be difficult to accomplish with marine organisms because sound travels faster underwater. Therefore, all individuals hear an auditory bridge, such as a clicker, simultaneously. Eugenie Clark pioneered shark training by training a lemon shark to push a target, which would cause a submerged bell to ring, and receive food. Unfortunately, this is only effective if you are trying to train a few individuals, instead of training multiple animals in a single tank. By producing a localized non-‐auditory cue specific individuals were bridged in an environment with 49 individuals of four temperate species: Leopard Sharks, Triakis semifasciata, Pacific Spiny Dogfish, Squalus suckleyi, Broadnose Sevengill Sharks, Notorynchus cepedianus, and Soupfin Sharks, Galeorhinus galeus. By using a light as a bridge during training sessions, visual and electrical stimuli are simultaneously provided. This has increased the response and targeting from these sharks. |