AquaponicsMyron Kebus and Nicole Nietlisbach

Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection 2811 Agriculture Dr., Madison, Wisconsin 53708

School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fish are needed but don’t generate bulk of revenues• Vegetables depend on fish for nutrients

• 90% of revenues are generated by vegetable sales

• Fish health problems draw labor resources from vegetables

• Moribund or dead fish look bad (appearance is important because public visits these farms)• Perception drives higher prices received for vegetables

Veterinary Perspective

•Less regulatory more production medicine

•Smaller numbers of fish so more individual medicine

•Challenge is to connect fish health to productive vegetable production

“Tilapia are bullet-proof”

• “Unlike other fish species”

• “Easy to grow”

• “Don’t get sick”

• “Can’t kill ‘em”

•Yeah - Not

Streptococcus iniae1996 coelomic distension, peritonitis, pericarditis, exophthalmia

New Disease Syndromes (2016)

Epitheilocystic

Assessed 6 Tilapia Aquaponic Farms from 2016 to 2018

Redhead Syndrome

Where do you start?

• History

• Physical exam

• Skin scrapes and gill mounts for ectoparasites

• Bacterial testing

• Viral testing

Red Body Syndrome

Signs of Bacterial Hemorrhagic Septicemia?

Began with new farmers experiencing tilapia mortalities

• 40% cumulative mortalities in 3-5 month old fish

• Red raised skin lesions in near market adults

• 75-78 F tank temperature

• Relatively good water quality• Oxygen

• Ammonia

• Nitrite

• CO2

Francisellosis

Francisellosis

Francisellosis

Francisellosis

Francisellosis

Francisella noatunensis

Superfast Purge Tank Syndrome

Superfast Purge Tank Syndrome

Aeromonas sobria/ veronii

“Exploding Brian Syndrome”

Old Big Fatty Tilapia Syndrome

Old Big Fatty Tilapia Syndrome

• High protein, high fat diets

• Cool water temperature

• > 2 year old fish

• Intentionally over-feed to “feed” vegetables

• Limited swimming

Bacterial Hemorrhagic Septicemia

• Aeromonas hydrophila

• Edwardsiella tarda

• Pasteurella multocida

• Pseudomonas flourescens

• Vibrio species

• Streptococcus agalactiae

• Streptococcus iniae

• Francisella noatunensis

“Tilapia Lake Virus?” producer

Most all have ectoparasites at high levels

Pale livers

• Why pale?• Excess protein and or fat in diet (high for benefit of

vegetable production)

• Why does it matter?• Prone to secondary infections

• Reduced survival

Thoughts• Limited pathogen testing

• Not testing for major pathogens, testing for less significant or salmonid pathogens in tilapia

• Quarantine for small farm not included in design of facility• trichodina, gyrodactylus, and dactylogyrus in all farms

• Aquaponics are very good potential beneficiaries of veterinary service• Very receptive to help - more than established farmers

More Thoughts

• Feeding strategies contribute to obesity, hepatic lipidosis, slow growth rates

• Aquaponics is in the proving stage• If fish health remains problematic hydroponics will be

pursued instead

• Fish don’t contribute much to revenues, but still impact profitability of entire system• Vegetables generate revenues, fish break-even at best

Questions?

List of Tilapia Diseases• Aeromona sp.

• Streptococcus #1

• Epitheilocystis

• Costia/Ichthyoboda

• Mycobacteria

• Francisella #2

• Iridovirus

• Columnaris, Flavobacterium columnare

• Edwardsiella ictaluri

• Betanodavirus

• Viral encephalitis novel herpes virsus

• Co-infections