1. Aquaponics
FISH HEALTH
REF: Fish Health

2. Fish health Keeping fish healthy
Proper temperature
Proper water quality
Quality feed
All aspects dependent on species
Understanding anatomy and physiology of fish species helps in the detection of abnormalities caused by disease

3. Basic anatomy of fish Fins Stiff rays covered by skin
Some jointed
Some bony, stiff and unjointed
Spines
Almost ½ fin rays in the Dorsal fin of tilapia are bony spines
Each fin performs a specific function
FIN
FUNCTION
DORSAL
Protects fish against rolling and assists in sudden turns and stops
CAUDAL
Gives fish momentum during movement
ANAL
Stabilizes the fish while swimming
PELVIC
Assists the fish in going up or down through the water column, turning sharply, and stopping quickly
PECTORAL
Used by the fish for maneuvering

4. Basic anatomy of fish

5. Basic Anatomy of fish Skin Epidermis (outer) layer
Epithelial cells arranged one above the other
Constantly shed and replaced
Slime cells
Production of mucoid secretions
Protective covering
Dermis (inner) layer
Under epidermis

6. 1 Epidermis
2 Scales
3 Dermis
4 Flesh

7. Basic anatomy of fish Scales
Overlap creating flexible protective armor
Lie in pockets in the dermis and come out of the connective tissue
Covered by epithelial layer
Deeper dermis
Fibroblasts
Collagen
Blood vessels

8. Basic anatomy of fish Pigment (color) cells
Cells are named for the pigment they contain
Quickly change color
Movement of melanin grains within each cell
Dispersion causes absorption of more light creating a darkened area
Constriction less light absorption area goes pale
Mating
Survival
Feeding

9. Basic anatomy of fish Gills – Respiration
Delicate system of blood vessels covered by very thin epithelium
Gaseous exchange
Located under gill covers (operculum)
Walls of pharynx perforated by five slit-like openings
Tissue between slits is gill arch (four gill arches)
Gills are located on gill arches

11. Basic physiology of fish
Physiology – function of the body systems
Aquatic animals – systems adapted to water environment
9 body systems
Circulatory
Digestive
Excretory
Muscular
Nervous
Reproductive
Respiratory
Sensory
Skeletal
Each system is part of the process of fish:
Consuming food
Consuming oxygen
Excreting ammonia rich waste
Excreting carbon dioxide

12. Basic physiology of fish
Circulatory System – heart, veins, arteries
Distributes blood throughout body
Transports oxygen and carbon dioxide

13. Basic physiology of fish
Digestive system – converts food into a form that can be used by the body for maintenance, growth, and reproduction
carnivore, omnivore, herbivore
All parts of body that take in and assimilate food
Mouth
Esophagus
Stomach
Intestines
Liver
Anus
Etc.

15. Basic fish physiology
Excretory system – eliminates waste from the body
Kidneys
Filters waste from the blood
Urinary ducts
Urinary bladder
Holds waste until excretion
Urinary opening
Excretion of waste

17. Basic fish physiology
Muscular system – provides movement internally and externally
Vary in strength and function
Contract and relax to cause movement
Obtaining food and oxygen
Eliminating waste

18. Basic physiology of fish
Nervous system – complex, supplies the body with information about internal and external environment
Conveys sensation impulses (electrical-chemical changes)
Brain
Spinal cord
Nerve fibers
Sensory receptors
Stimuli received by sense organs and receptors
Stimuli conveyed through nerve fibers
Stimuli interpreted by spinal cord/brain
Brain/spinal cord send response through nerve fibers

20. Basic physiology of fish
Reproductive system – creation of new organisms of the same species via union sperm and egg
Males – testes – sperm
Female – ovaries – eggs (ova)
Sperm and egg unite and zygote forms
Incubation of zygote leads to development of new organism
Understanding reproduction based on species is important to the success of culturing a species

21. Basic physiology of fish
Respiratory system – takes in oxygen from environment, delivers the oxygen to cells and tissues of the body; collects carbon dioxide for the cells and tissues of the body and delivers the carbon dioxide to the environment
Water is taken in the mouth forced over gills where oxygen is removed by diffusion into the blood

23. Basic physiology of fish
Sensory System – sight, touch, taste, smell, hearing – relays information through the nervous system
Lateral line – electrical currents

24. Basic physiology of fish
Skeletal system – framework that gives the body shape and protects the organs
Bone – hard material
Cartilage – soft material
Tissue and organs attach to the skeleton