Abstract

Mr. Ross Socolof is one of the leading ornamental fish culturists in the world. He has been asked by the IAAAM program committee to review selected major problems in the production of ornamental fish in Florida. Mr. Socolof is active in the day to day operation of Four Star Fish Farm in Bradenton, Florida.
(Submitted by Dr. John B. Gratzek, Professor and Head, Medical Microbiology, University of Georgia.)

Notes

The Florida ornamental fish farming industry has an organized association of 131 members.

One million boxes of 200 fish each are shipped out of Florida each year.

Florida's high water table makes it easy to keep dirt ponds full. A culture pond is usually 100' long x 20' wide and 6-7' deep.

Frogs are beneficial to the fish farmer because they eat dragonfly larvae which eat small fish. In the same way, the alligator is beneficial because it eats mud-turtles. Birds pose a problem.

Exotic Fish Types

• Live-bearing - raised in outdoor ponds.
• Egg-layers - some are raised outside and can reproduce themselves; others must be raised inside.
• Bought when small - raised to a larger size outside, then sold to aquarists when they are breeding size, e.g., Angelfish.

Diseases

Cured easily in aquariums. Not curable in dirt ponds where only formalin might work. Stress is the main factor in disease so all fish are treated prophylactically on arrival to prevent secondary bacterial infection. During transport, mortality is reduced by the use of 0₂, plastic bag containers and tranquilizers. Ich is the most common infection and is easy to treat. A diagnostic service is needed to which Florida fish farmers can have access to promote specific treatment. Tetracycline no longer works on tame fish due to the development of bacterial resistance, however it still is effective for diseased wild-caught fish. Furanase is most effective on tame fish. Ross treats all his fish at the fish farm with liquid Cu, methylene blue, formalin and antibiotics regardless of their state of health.