Need assistance with wildlife and fish management on your ranch, backyard, or pond? Simply call your local County Extension Agent.
Diseases can cause serious problems on fish farms. They may decimate fish stocks or make a farmer’s products unmarketable. The discovery of exotic diseases on fish farms can trigger huge financial losses associated with state and federal quarantines and fish eradication. Farmers who can document the health status of their fish have a competitive advantage with customers and regulators, who recognize the benefits of a safer product. These advantages can be realized by fairly simple changes in farm management practices that help prevent the introduction and spread of disease. Fish diseases caused by parasites, bacteria or viruses can be spread from pond to pond or from farm to farm by the transfer of infected fish and by animals, people, equipment and water contaminated by contact with infected fish or fish pathogens. To prevent the introduction of new diseases onto a fish farm, there should be no contact between the fish on the farm and any potential disease carriers. Farm equipment should be cleaned and disinfected before each use. Workers should disinfect clothing, boots and other gear before having contact with healthy fish. Sanitation is particularly important in preventing the spread of disease between ponds or vats when sick fish are present.
-SRAC Publication No. 4703, Disease Prevention on Fish Farms
