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Warning: Morbid Post - Not for those with weak stomaches

I had one of six white clouds slowly deteriorate with a bulge on one side. It got the best of me and after I determined she needed a little help moving on to the big tank in the sky, I decided to cut her open to investigate (after she was euthanized ). I was concerned with possible Piscine TB. This can be identified when yellow, fatty looking nodules are seen in the body cavity or liver/kidney.

I had only an exacto knife and it was brand new. However, it would not penetrate the fish that well. Are scalpels sharper? Should I have descaled her belly?

I did find an enlarged portion of one of her organs, but could not identify it by the time I had mutilated her trying to get her open. No nodules, thankfully and I almost wondered if she wasn't compacted with eggs in a fatal way.

If I want to do my own necropsies, besides getting a microscope and related for culturing, what else should I get in the way of tools? I found it difficult to hold such a little fish too. I used latex gloves and a toothpick to hold her open.


Last edited by Cory_Di at 11-Feb-2005 17:59

Last edited by Cory_Di at 11-Feb-2005 18:05

i have done them i use a pair of sharp sizors stick the small end in the vent and slowly pull up on the skin and snip. no organs or eggs get touched by doing it this way hope this helped

On tiny fish? I suppose cuticle scissors could work.

Diane, I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one who has at least thought about doing thisThe last time I lost a guppy I was highly suspicious that she had only delivered half of her fry when she died, and thought about opening her up, but had no idea where to begin...and being a bit more into science than I probably should have been in High School this does sound easy enough....but now what do we go to look at to find out the cause of death? Is there a book we should get Ok I'm through being morbid Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

- There are plenty of books that show a fish's guts to help you out. One that shows a good amount of detail and gets into microscopy, is this book and note you can even get used ones as low as $8.00 US:

[link=http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0866227032/qid=1108172453/sr=2-2/ref=pd_ka_b_2_2/102-7992013-6263308]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0866227032/qid=1108172453/sr=2-2/ref=pd_ka_b_2_2/102-7992013-6263308" style="COLOR: #C000C0[/link]

I've been wanting a microscope so I can check for intestinal parasites. I mean, how hard can it be to grab a fresh poopie and smash it down on a slide . I would find it harder doing gill scrapes to find gill flukes or bacteria. I'd love to do bacterial culturing tho. Keep in mind, it takes a 400x microscope to be able to see Costia and even then, certain conditions need to be met. I find that microscopic world fascinating.

Diane

OOOooo - lookie at what I found: MOVIES of a fish necropsy. Anyone else have any good links for this, please post them.

http://aquanic.org/real/necropsy/



Last edited by Cory_Di at 11-Feb-2005 19:55

No links to share, but I have been doing them for years. Your allies in such a venture are some good reference books, a decent microscope (I prefer binocular scopes myself), a scalpel and an assortment of blades, a dissecting slab and some pins, and a light-magnifier like this one:

http://www.howardelectronics.com/xytronic/images/JF-33CBWeb.jpg

Pins - yes, pins. That is what I sensed as I was doing mine.

In the film, they use scissors too. I must say that much of what he was doing would be easiest on larger fish.

Diane those video clips were a great find! Very educational, and usefull...But it makes me wonder if the brain of that big fish was so big, would I even be able to see the brain of my small fish? I enjoyed watching them, and feel as though I learned a lot, thanks...Heidi

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

Yep a new scalpel will definitely work better than your exacto knife (even though they are very sharp... my brother has stabbed himself with them accientally twice in the palm of his hand). I haven't really done many fish necropsies, but I am used to dissections from the high school anatomy/physiology class I took. I think the fish heads (fisheries majors) here get to do them pretty often... Anyway, yes a scalpel would be highly recommended and possibly a dissection stereomicroscope if you're dissecting really small fishies (lacking that, a hand lens would also be useful). Also, a small probe (metal poker thing), and the board and pins already mentioned.

Last edited by superlion at 12-Feb-2005 11:23

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