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.
All samples must be accompanied by a submission form. Please ensure to record the property PIC number and, if appropriate, the lease number.
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