Fish Facility

[Dallas E. Weaver, Ph.D.]

Christina,

Unless all the other species are SPF (specific pathogen free) and there 
are no imports of other species, the risk to your stocks is significant. 
The addition or proximity of other aquatic animals always creates the 
possibility of a biosecurity failure.  

My experience with any new animals in my facility that didn't come 
from a trusted / known source has been very poor.  I have mixed 
species and that isn't the problem, it is the probability of a biosecurity 
breach on one species impacting the others.  For example, I had to 
add some gene stock for breeding guppies that came from Sri Lanka.  
These stocks went into quarantine system for 3 months and appeared 
free of disease. However, they carried at non detectable levels a strain 
of Flexibacter columnaris that my zebra danios had not seen and it 
took me several months to clean up my zebra's again.  

Many of the aquatic diseases can be transferred by insect vectors, 
which will render all but the most biosecure facilities open to transfer 
between system in a nearby room.  If you can do it, the best aquatic 
animal biosecurity is a 10 minute or more walk between facilities 
(enough time for hands to dry and far enough to discourage casual 
movement and other transmission methods).  

For high value animals, biosecurity is a major issue.  

Dallas

Christina Quasarano wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> 
> Here at BU, my lab will possibly be expanding to a much larger
> facility.  We are encountering a few small problems in the process
> though.  Our Administration is expressing their ideas of wanting
> this facility to house ALL  aquatic facilities on the medical
> campus, including other fish and aquatic species (frogs, turtles,
> etc etc).  They would also like to put the facility under the
> control of the Lab Animal Science Center.  My question is, how are
> your facilities run?  Do you allow different aquatic species to
> share the same room? Washers? Water supply?  Do you have a Lab
> Animal Center that is in charge of your facilities or is all
> responiblity soley on the lab itself?  I know that any type of
> animal can cross contaminate others.  We have many fears as to what
> could happen by exposing our fish to other animals (and vice versa).
> I would appreciate anyones opinion and experiences on this matter. 
> Thank you very much!  
> 
> Sincerely, Christina Quasarano
> 
> ***************************************
> Christina Quasarano
> Lab Manager <}}}><
> Chemical Hygiene Officer 
> Lab of Sleep Physiology 
> Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology
> Phone # (617)638-4187
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