AHL undertakes testing of aquatic animals from both freshwater and seawater. Please notify the laboratory prior to sending whole animals for necropsy.
Field Sampling - Finfish
- Fix tissues in 10% buffered formalin, at a minimum ratio of 1:10 tissue to fixative;
- Detailed guidance on field sampling can be found in
Guidelines and Procedures Manual for Field Sampling of Fish for Disease Investigation and Health Monitoring (PDF 489Kb)
Laboratory Examination
Finfish
- select moribund animals;
- immediately pack on crushed ice and send without delay; (fish should arrive the same day as they are sent; the interval between collection and arrival should not exceed 24 hours);
- small fish, 1-10 g in size, can be submitted live in plastic bags containing water and sealed under oxygen. Fish submitted this way should be kept cool and arrive the same day as collection;
- provide a clear history including site or lease number, water quality, vaccination status, signs of disease and stressors.
Molluscs or crustaceans
- submit in an insulated box;
- multiple ice-bricks should be placed around the samples and dispatch immediately;
- animals should arrive at AHL within 24 hours.
- provide a clear history including lease number, growing conditions (e.g. sub-tidal or intertidal), salinity, temperature etc.
Larval materials/spat
- fixed in 10% buffered seawater formalin or submit in seawater – clearly mark the container with the liquid content
- NB – refer to Fish Microbiology sections for further information.