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#1
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Pheromones and Fish
found this in my wanderings thought it might be interesting to the group
Pheromones and Fish Low stocking densities can help minimize bacterial and viral disease problems. It is presumed that the fewer the fish in the water the less the concentration of pheromone present that suppress the immune system. Although the following essay demonstrates the effect of hormones on the immune system, other hormones can have an effect on the growth of koi. If a koi does not grow in your collection, experiment by removing it to another pond, if possible. If it starts to grow then you know that the hormones from the other fish were affecting the growth of that particular fish. If it does not grow then one of two things has happened - the genetics of the fish has dictated the size of the fish or the fish is older than you know or realize. Just as in all creatures, growth hormones stop after a certain age and the creature stops growing. A study by Perimutter, Alfred, Daniel Sarot, Man-Lin Yu, Rocco Filazzoia and Seely on the Effects of Crowding on the Immune Response of Fish indicates that there are 'other' hidden factors at work than first meet the eye. These are not readily visible or apparent to most koi keepers. Sometimes we simply notice that our koi die without explanation. Perhaps the study by Perimutter et al. throw some light on this phenomena. Their study may indicate that fish kept in overcrowded conditions suffer impaired immune systems as a result of biochemical agents released into the water by the other fish living in the pond. This may be natures way of reducing a large population to more acceptable levels. The studies suggest that fish can release immune suppressing pheromones (hormones) in overcrowded conditions. This makes the other fish in the system less able to fight disease. To investigate their suspicions three separate experiments were set up. These involved different treatment and control groups. The first two experiments had 30, 15, 5 and 5 fish respectively. Four similar control groups were set up. Fish were assigned randomly among the groups. All ponds were the same size. The water in the treatment groups had methylchloroform added to remove organic substances. The control groups were not treated but simply monitored. Ammonia, nitrate, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH were monitored regularly. The immune systems were challenged with infectious Pancreatic necrosis virus. All fish in the treatment and control groups were injected with the virus two weeks after the experiment began. Two week later they were injected again. The researchers made antibody tests. These antibody measurements showed that maximum antibody reaction occurred three weeks after the second injection of the virus. Looking through the results shows that the fish from the experimental groups had two to four times the antibody levels than the fish from the control groups. As the level of crowding increased so the difference between the groups increased. The implication was that the methylchloroform was removing something from the water that affected the fish immune response. This unknown factor was directly proportional to the crowding level. The greater the crowding level the greater the immune suppressing effect. The evidence suggested an immune suppressing pheromone was present. To check their findings the authors then decided to refine a third experiment. This third experiment was run twice with each of the four treatment and control groups. These being 30, 15, 5 and 5 fish again. The results were as follows. 1. The groups of fish at low stocking densities had twice the antibody level of the control groups. 2. The groups with slightly higher stocking densities had four times the antibodies present. 3. However, as the stocking densities increased the effect of the immune suppressing agent became more pronounced. There were less and less antibodies recorded in the test groups. 4. It is worth noting that even at low stocking densities there was a lower antibody count. This indicates that even at low stocking densities there is immune response suppression. Conclusions: Low stocking densities can help minimize bacterial and viral disease problems. It is presumed that the fewer the fish in the water the less the concentration of pheromone present that suppress the immune system. The lower the stocking density the lower the bacterial load on the pond. The offending pheromone can be removed with proper chemical and physical techniques. The importance of water changes should NEVER be under estimated. Regular water changes will dilute the biological 'soup' the fish swim in. To save water, utilize the pond water for watering the garden then supply the fish and pond with fresh water. Both will benefit as will your pocket. You will have created a mini ecosystem on your property. The use of activated carbon has been shown to remove organic agents such as pheromones. Skimming the frothy bubbles or scum that forms on the surface of the pond (Dissolved Organic Compounds or DOC) from time to time will also lower the level of pheromones. The DOC should be removed from the system and not simply skimmed back into the filter. The amount of scum or DOC is important when the fish load is high. This should be removed from the system. A last consideration. Perhaps we should select and remove koi from our collections regularly. As they grow and as we add new ones to the system voluntary removing the old ones which are not of good quality will have positive results. 1. The collection will be continually up-graded and improved. 2. The collection will be selectively 'culled' by the owner and not by mother nature taking things into her own hands when disease breaks out in overcrowded pond. -- John Rutz Z5 New Mexico good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad judgement see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
#2
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Pheromones and Fish
I would sure like to see the original paper and where it was published.
removal of organics includes pathogens. the more fish, the more pathogens are being released. each pathogen challenges the immune system individually and as the number of challenges increases the antibody response per immunogen decreases. one reason we dont get a flu shot if we are sick. it doesnt "take". This is also the reason why introducing new fish into existing pond or tank without quarantine is dangerous. New stressed fish are shedding cooties that they are more or less immune to but the existing fish arent. so the older fish get sick and/or die. real proof of pheromones is to isolate the compound in a pure form, then reintroduce it at different doses and see the effect on antibody levels after challenge. Of course, lower stocking levels is just good common sense. Lower levels of wastes (ammonia has been shown to directly cause stress) and more safety margin for when things go wrong. Ingrid |
#3
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Pheromones and Fish
Here's the website (or one of them) Ingrid
http://www.koikichi.com/about/articles/pheromones.html I googled for: Perimutter, Alfred, Daniel Sarot, Man-Lin Yu, Rocco Filazzoia and Seely on the Effects of Crowding on the Immune Response of Fish and there were other sites listed, if you want to check em out. Thanks John, puts the hammer down for folks to do those water changes and FOR ME to sell those two koi I have been meaning to since last summer.s ~ jan On Wed, 28 May 2003 20:50:21 -0600, John Rutz wrote: found this in my wanderings thought it might be interesting to the group Pheromones and Fish Low stocking densities can help minimize bacterial and viral disease problems. It is presumed that the fewer the fish in the water the less the concentration of pheromone present that suppress the immune system. Although the following essay demonstrates the effect of hormones on the immune system, other hormones can have an effect on the growth of koi. If a koi does not grow in your collection, experiment by removing it to another pond, if possible. If it starts to grow then you know that the hormones from the other fish were affecting the growth of that particular fish. If it does not grow then one of two things has happened - the genetics of the fish has dictated the size of the fish or the fish is older than you know or realize. Just as in all creatures, growth hormones stop after a certain age and the creature stops growing. A study by Perimutter, Alfred, Daniel Sarot, Man-Lin Yu, Rocco Filazzoia and Seely on the Effects of Crowding on the Immune Response of Fish indicates that there are 'other' hidden factors at work than first meet the eye. These are not readily visible or apparent to most koi keepers. Sometimes we simply notice that our koi die without explanation. Perhaps the study by Perimutter et al. throw some light on this phenomena. Their study may indicate that fish kept in overcrowded conditions suffer impaired immune systems as a result of biochemical agents released into the water by the other fish living in the pond. This may be natures way of reducing a large population to more acceptable levels. The studies suggest that fish can release immune suppressing pheromones (hormones) in overcrowded conditions. This makes the other fish in the system less able to fight disease. To investigate their suspicions three separate experiments were set up. These involved different treatment and control groups. The first two experiments had 30, 15, 5 and 5 fish respectively. Four similar control groups were set up. Fish were assigned randomly among the groups. All ponds were the same size. The water in the treatment groups had methylchloroform added to remove organic substances. The control groups were not treated but simply monitored. Ammonia, nitrate, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide and pH were monitored regularly. The immune systems were challenged with infectious Pancreatic necrosis virus. All fish in the treatment and control groups were injected with the virus two weeks after the experiment began. Two week later they were injected again. The researchers made antibody tests. These antibody measurements showed that maximum antibody reaction occurred three weeks after the second injection of the virus. Looking through the results shows that the fish from the experimental groups had two to four times the antibody levels than the fish from the control groups. As the level of crowding increased so the difference between the groups increased. The implication was that the methylchloroform was removing something from the water that affected the fish immune response. This unknown factor was directly proportional to the crowding level. The greater the crowding level the greater the immune suppressing effect. The evidence suggested an immune suppressing pheromone was present. To check their findings the authors then decided to refine a third experiment. This third experiment was run twice with each of the four treatment and control groups. These being 30, 15, 5 and 5 fish again. The results were as follows. 1. The groups of fish at low stocking densities had twice the antibody level of the control groups. 2. The groups with slightly higher stocking densities had four times the antibodies present. 3. However, as the stocking densities increased the effect of the immune suppressing agent became more pronounced. There were less and less antibodies recorded in the test groups. 4. It is worth noting that even at low stocking densities there was a lower antibody count. This indicates that even at low stocking densities there is immune response suppression. Conclusions: Low stocking densities can help minimize bacterial and viral disease problems. It is presumed that the fewer the fish in the water the less the concentration of pheromone present that suppress the immune system. The lower the stocking density the lower the bacterial load on the pond. The offending pheromone can be removed with proper chemical and physical techniques. The importance of water changes should NEVER be under estimated. Regular water changes will dilute the biological 'soup' the fish swim in. To save water, utilize the pond water for watering the garden then supply the fish and pond with fresh water. Both will benefit as will your pocket. You will have created a mini ecosystem on your property. The use of activated carbon has been shown to remove organic agents such as pheromones. Skimming the frothy bubbles or scum that forms on the surface of the pond (Dissolved Organic Compounds or DOC) from time to time will also lower the level of pheromones. The DOC should be removed from the system and not simply skimmed back into the filter. The amount of scum or DOC is important when the fish load is high. This should be removed from the system. A last consideration. Perhaps we should select and remove koi from our collections regularly. As they grow and as we add new ones to the system voluntary removing the old ones which are not of good quality will have positive results. 1. The collection will be continually up-graded and improved. 2. The collection will be selectively 'culled' by the owner and not by mother nature taking things into her own hands when disease breaks out in overcrowded pond. See my ponds and filter design: http://users.owt.com/jjspond/ ~Keep 'em Wet!~ Tri-Cities WA Zone 7a To e-mail see website |
#4
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Pheromones and Fish
~ jan JJsPond.us wrote: Here's the website (or one of them) Ingrid http://www.koikichi.com/about/articles/pheromones.html I googled for: Perimutter, Alfred, Daniel Sarot, Man-Lin Yu, Rocco Filazzoia and Seely on the Effects of Crowding on the Immune Response of Fish and there were other sites listed, if you want to check em out. Thanks John, puts the hammer down for folks to do those water changes and FOR ME to sell those two koi I have been meaning to since last summer.s ~ jan welcome makes me think I have to go through and do another culling dangit Im still looking for somthing definitive on growth hormone and crowding with Koi John Rutz Z5 New Mexico good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad judgement see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
#5
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Pheromones and Fish
oh yeah, I googled for it too. no original article quoting where it was published.
Somebodys interpretation of what a published article says and the article itself are two different things. Ingrid ~ jan JJsPond.us wrote: Here's the website (or one of them) Ingrid http://www.koikichi.com/about/articles/pheromones.html I googled for: Perimutter, Alfred, Daniel Sarot, Man-Lin Yu, Rocco Filazzoia and Seely on the Effects of Crowding on the Immune Response of Fish and there were other sites listed, if you want to check em out. |
#6
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Pheromones and Fish
John,
I know we are all looking for reasons that our fish don't grow, but like I have said over and over again, three things are imperative for good growth and healthy fish, of which I have both good growth and healthy fish every year, they are 1. Clean Water; 2. Clean Water, and 3. Clean Water. It sounds simple, but these three simple suggestions are all effected by stocking, feeding and your filtration system. I have read extensively about the growth inhibator hormone, but no one has every found one. And most scientist, not hobbyist have come to the conclusion that there is none. Pheromones are similar, and are used by the fish for a number of effects, sometimes it is to tell the crowd who is the boss, or "hey, I'm a girl and ready to party, guys," etc. and like so many communative organic materials, they there are not meant to stay around and they break down very quickly, and usually disappear. I have published my growth results on this list off and on for years and if you follow this technique and have "Clean Water" your fish will grow. For those who still believe that there is a growth inhibitor hormone there was an test down in 1977 that was experimental work done with KOI at Ahrensburg that dealt with tank volume. In experiment 67/20 -- 30 KOI were used and test ran for 42 weeks. Five fish were put in to containers of 20 liters of water compared to five fish that were placed in 40 liters of water. There were 4 groups in 20 liter containers and two groups in 40 liter containers. Each container had its own water supply of freshly filtered and aerated water. Each group of five fish weighed about 700 grams at the start of the experiment. At the end of the 42 weeks each group weighed about 4,600 grams. At this point the fish in the 20 liter containers did stop growing but this was do to the fact that the fish were just too big for the container effecting their movement and their feeding capability. So this kind of bursts the growth hormone theory which was the purpose of the trial. HTH Tom L.L. -------------------------------- "John Rutz" wrote in message ... ~ jan JJsPond.us wrote: Here's the website (or one of them) Ingrid http://www.koikichi.com/about/articles/pheromones.html I googled for: Perimutter, Alfred, Daniel Sarot, Man-Lin Yu, Rocco Filazzoia and Seely on the Effects of Crowding on the Immune Response of Fish and there were other sites listed, if you want to check em out. Thanks John, puts the hammer down for folks to do those water changes and FOR ME to sell those two koi I have been meaning to since last summer.s ~ jan welcome makes me think I have to go through and do another culling dangit Im still looking for somthing definitive on growth hormone and crowding with Koi John Rutz Z5 New Mexico good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad judgement see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
#7
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Pheromones and Fish
Tom La Bron wrote: John, So this kind of bursts the growth hormone theory which was the purpose of the trial. HTH Tom L.L. -------------------------------- "John Rutz" wrote in message ... thanks Tom thats what was in the back of my mind that there was'nt a hormone involved I remember a discussion a couple years ago on it but I had not seen anything like what you found that actualy said so one way or the other. I have a few Koi from a couple years ago( guestimate 2-3 yo) that have seemed to stop growing at about 8 inches Im not sure if these are mules with high Gold fish genes so have reached near their max growth or that the infestation of Bluegreen algae I had last summer afected them and they will pick up and grow now that things are back to normal John Rutz Z5 New Mexico good judgement comes from bad experience, and that comes from bad judgement see my pond at: http://www.fuerjefe.com |
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