European Association of Fish Pathologists (EAFP) – serie

Correct nutrition in farmed animals is essential to healthy stock and an economically sustainable high yield. In aquaculture, nutrition is particularly important as the costs of feed can be 40 or 50% of total production costs. In recent years, the aquaculture feed industry has advanced rapidly with the introduction of many commercially available feeds containing scientifically formulated and balanced diets to enhance growth and yield in specific species. Many feeds also now include ingredients aimed particularly at enhancement of stock health. The field of nutritional pathology is concerned with the study of those health disorders and ailments that result from nutrient deficiencies or dietary imbalances. This exciting new book provides an up-to-date and user-friendly practical guide on nutritional pathology in the main commercially farmed species of fish and shrimp. The book commences with an overview of the importance of nutrition in health management and the interaction between culture system, disease and the environment. The book then covers disorders in protein nutrition, lipid nutrition, mineral nutrition and vitamin nutrition. The book also encompasses comprehensive details of endogenous plant anti-nutritional factors, exogenous feed contaminants and feed biosecurity. Nutritional Fish and Shrimp Pathology: A Handbook is an ideal resource for personnel within the aquaculture industry and suppliers to the industry, particularly personnel within animal feed companies and animal health companies, especially any scientist responsible for feed formulation within animal feed companies. Fish farm managers and technicians will also find it useful, as well as companies providing fish-feeding equipment, personnel within universities and research establishments where aquaculture is studied and taught, including biochemists, chemists, biological scientists, fish pathologists, food and feed scientists, nutritionists, fish veterinarians, animal scientists and aquaculture scientists. The book will also provide a reference for students who are taking up courses such as Fish Nutritional Biochemistry, Fish Health, and Fish Nutrition and Feed Formulation, amongst others.

Good fish health and welfare are essential components of sustainable aquaculture and, in this regard, fish parasites constitute a major constraint to production. The aquaculture industries of areas affected by various disease outbreaks have suffered considerably from the impacts of marine and freshwater parasites. It is therefore fundamentally important to take steps to prevent parasite infection, as well as to properly identify, monitor and treat outbreaks when they occur. ParaFishControl, an EU-funded project involving industry, academic and government partners drawn from across Europe, whose work has led to this book, is dedicated to effectively understanding and controlling a diverse range of fish parasites in order to promote the sustainability and competitiveness of the European aquaculture industry. Fish Parasites contains detailed outlines of the most up-to-date protocols for parasite isolation, culture and transmission, as well as detailed procedures for reproducing parasitic infections in a laboratory environment. Protocols for tasks such as monitoring parasitic infection, isolating parasites and preparing parasite material are explained in detail. In addition, an introduction is provided to the biology and host interactions of each parasite discussed. Fish Parasites provides an essential guide for those who are currently researching fish-parasite relations, as well as for those who may study fish health and welfare more generally or otherwise have broader interests in fish parasites.