Results

A total of 100 species submissions were received that match the criteria of fish to be surveyed. These included 20 submissions of livebearers, 31 submissions of cichlids, 28 gourami submissions and 21 goldfish (Carassius auratus) submissions, see Figure 1.

Within each major group of fish there were a number of species or varieties submitted. Livebearers included swordtails and platys (Xiphophorus spp.) and guppies (Poecilia reticulata). There were a diversity of cichlids submitted including discus (Symphysodon spp.), angel fish (Pterophyllum scalare), oscars (Astronotus oscellatus) and African rift valley cichlids including Kribensis (Pelvicachromus pulcher), Auratus (Melanochromis auratus), golden remirezi (Microgeophagus ramirezi) and blue rams (Apistogramma raminez). Gouramis included kissing gourami (Helostoma temmincki), dwarf or blue gourami (Colisa lalia), honey sunset gourami (Colisa chuna), pearl gourami (Trichogaster leeri), moonlight gourami (Trichogaster microlepis) and opaline, golden or three spot gourami (Trichogaster trichopterus).

The country of origin of the shipment was often not disclosed on paperwork that accompanied the samples, however, where the country of origin was disclosed it included Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia. Businesses in Singapore and perhaps other places often act as receival and distribution outlets for fish from all over the globe. Thus, the country of origin may not indicate the true country of origin of the fish in a consignment because fish from various sources may have been mixed at these businesses and held for the 14 days stipulated by AQIS for live freshwater fish (other than Salmonidae) on its Import Conditions Database (ICON-AQIS).

^{Figure 1. Total number of submissions shown by major groupings of fish species.}

^{Figure 2. Submissions received in each state over the period of the project. (A) shows the number of days on which samples were received at laboratories and (B) shows the number of cases by species recorded by the laboratories. The differences can be explained by several species or varieties of fish being received at one time.}

There was no apparent pattern of submissions (Figure 2). Victoria had the largest number of submissions (samples were received on 27 days) followed by Queensland (13), Western Australia (10), New South Wales (8) and South Australia (1). There are two peaks in submissions. The first was at the start of the project (June and July 2005) and the second was in April to June 2006.

A large number of diagnoses were made (Tables 1, 2 and Figure 3). In some cases only morphological diagnoses were possible (e.g. skeletal muscle damage or skin damage were noted but no aetiological diagnosis was made). In a number of cases more than one parasite or pathogen was identified and all of these have been listed in Tables 1 and 2. In some instances the samples were sent to specialists for further testing or identification but usually a less specific identification of parasites based on morphology in histology sections was provided. There were some noticeable differences in quality between the reports from various laboratories and pathologists. In some instances the ability to identify common pathogens improved as the survey progressed and at other times a second opinion was sought and this improved the diagnosis.

Fish pathologists at the co-ordinating laboratory interpreted some results in an attempt to categorise them. This was done when diagnoses included statements about stress and/or water quality issues and also when the histological description of lesions fitted a syndrome or disease such as Cryptobia sp. in cichlids.

Infection with bacteria, most commonly Aeromonas hydrophila or Aeromonas sp., was the most frequently reported diagnosis but there were no reports of the non motile Aeromonas salmonicida or its atypical forms that cause furunculosis in salmonids, goldfish ulcer disease and carp erythrodermatitis. There were seven diagnoses of epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) in gouramis submitted in three states and the four cases of iridovirus in cichlids, including two in red albino oscars, one from Western Australia and one from Victoria. Interestingly there was only one diagnosis of haematopoietic necrosis virus of goldfish but a diversity of metazoan and protistan parasites were seen in this group of fish. Goldfish were infected with unidentified species of microsporidia, Goussia sp. and Myxobolus sp. that are not commonly listed as pathogens of this species. There were no reports of spring viraemia of carp.

^{Figure 3. Diagnoses grouped into major causes of disease. There was more than one cause listed for some cases.}

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