Ocena in izboljšanje zdravstvenega stanja akvarijskih organizmov z uporabo skupnih diagnostičnih metod in protokolov / Assessment and improvement of aquarium organisms health status using common diagnostic methods and protocols

Javni akvariji s svojo infrastrukturo, znanjem in izkušnjami predstavljajo pomembn temelj za izvajanje raziskovalne dejavnosti na področju biologije, oskrbe in zdravstvenega varstva številnih skupin morskih organizmov.

Leta 2021 je Univerza Črne gore v okviru Inštituta za biologijo morja odprla popolnoma nov javni morski akvarij Boka Aquarium – Center za varstvo biotske raznovrstnosti Jadrana. Ravno tako je Univerza na Primorskem z letom 2022 prevzela v upravljanje Akvarij Piran. Oba akvarija sta posvečena prikazovanju ter oskrbi lokalno prisotnih vrst organizmov in temu je prilagojena tudi infrastruktura.  Akvarij Piran je bil povsem prenovljen leta 2009, deluje na zaprt sistem kroženja morske  vode z rednim dodajanjem vode neposredno iz morja. V skrbi ima okoli 170 različnih vrst organizmov od tega okoli 60 vrst rib, ki jih v večini iz morja pridobijo sami. Aquarium Boka deluje tudi po zaprtem cirkulacijskem sistemu. Trenutno oskrbuje okoli 70 vrst, od tega 40 vrst rib. Večino organizmov ujamejo s pomočjo vrš, mrež ali vlečnih mrež.

Nalezljive in parazitske bolezni predstavljajo velik problem pri oskrbi rib in drugih organizmov v akvarijih. Vsak korak v obvladovanju bolezni je zahteven, od preprečevanja vnosa, diagnosticiranja povzročitelja, preprečevanja širjenja do zdravljenja. Patogeni lahko vstopijo v akvarijski sistem preko morske vode, opreme, na strukturah iz morja ali neposredno z na novo vnesenimi organizmi. V času karantene se bolezen lahko ne izrazi in se pokaže šele ob vnosu v akvarij, zaradi povečanega stresa ob menjavi okolja. Problem predstavljajo tudi tihi prenašalci ter vmesni gostitelji v primeru mešanih združb v akvariju.

Za razliko od akvakulture, akvariji držijo skupaj veliko število vrst organizmov iz različnih skupin. Vsaka izmed njih zahteva poznavanje njihovega prehranjevanja, razmnoževanja, obnašanja, plenilcev, okolja, ki ga naseljuje in drugega. Med njimi so velike razlike in potrebnega je precej znanja ter izkušenj za zagotavljanje primernega okolja, saj vsak odklon lahko sproži pojav bolezni.

Izbruhe bolezni namreč pogosto sproži izguba ravnotežja med gostiteljem in povzročiteljem zaradi nepravilnosti v okolju. Primerno okolje, prehrana in pravilna izbira organizmov tako bistveno zmanjšajo tveganje za izbruh bolezni.

Pri zdravljenju znotraj akvarijev smo omejeni, saj lahko zaradi zaprtega sistema z zdravili škodimo drugim organizmom v akvariju in biološkemu filtru. Izlov ribe iz akvarija in premestitev v karantenski bazen pa je tudi zahtevno opravilo, saj prihaja do poškodb tudi zdravih organizmov in posledično do pojava bolezni zaradi stresa. Zato je toliko bolj pomembna preventiva ter hitra diagnostika bolezni.

V okviru projekta bomo zastavili skupne protokole za oceno kvalitete vode, oceno zdravstvenega stanja živali, določili klinične tehnike, ki bodo del rutinskega pregleda živali ter protokol obdukcije ob poginu. Kjer je le mogoče, bomo uporabili genetske metode z uporabo neinvazivne okoljske DNK za diagnozo. Na podlagi izkušenj in uspešnosti preteklih zdravljenj bomo določili možne terapije glede na povzročitelja, vrsto organizma in druga stanja. Trenutne protokole bomo na podlagi izkušenj obeh ustanov nadgradili z novimi metodami, jih poenotili in primerjali rezultate. Poleg tega bomo izmenjali izkušnje glede oskrbe posameznih skupin živali, združili podatke in tako poskrbeli za dobrobit organizmov v oskrbi. Primerjali bomo prisotnost povzročiteljev bolezni  na novo ujetih živali med obema lokacijama

Uskladili bomo protokole za izleganje planktonskih kozic (artemije) za potrebe prehrane organizmov v akvariju in poskušali gojiti avtohtone vrste solinskih rakcev v akvarijskih razmerah.

Pregledali bomo celoten proces pridobivanja organizmov, od ulova rib, preko transportnih in karantenskih tehnik, do prilagajanja na akvarijsko okolje in hranjenja. Primerjali bomo prisotnost patogenov pri novo ujetih živalih na obeh mestih.

Public aquariums, with their infrastructure, knowledge and experience, provide an important foundation for conducting research activities in biology, care and health of many groups of marine organisms.

In 2021, the University of Montenegro, within the Institute of Marine Biology, opened a completely new public marine aquarium, Boka Aquarium - Center for the Protection of Adriatic Biodiversity. In 2022, the University of Primorska took over the management of the Piran Aquarium. Both aquariums are dedicated to the display and care of locally present species of organisms. Piran Aquarium was completely renovated in 2009 and operates on a closed water circulation system with regular addition of water directly from the sea. It keeps about 170 different species of organisms, of which about 60 species of fish and most of the organisms are obtained through different non-invasive fishing techniques by the aquarium employees. Aquarium Boka also operates on a closed circulation system. It inhabits, for now, about 70 species, of which 40 species of fish. Most organisms are caught with the help of pots, netting or pulling nets.

Infectious and parasitic diseases are a major problem in the care of fish and other organisms in aquaria. Each step of disease control is challenging, from preventing introduction to diagnosis of the causative agent, and additional prevention of their spread with suitable treatment. Pathogens can enter the aquarium system through seawater, equipment, marine structures or directly with the newly introduced organisms. During quarantine, the disease may not be expressed and may not break out until the animal is introduced into the aquarium, due to the increased stress of the changing environment. Silent carriers and intermediate hosts are also a problem in mixed aquarium communities.

Unlike aquaculture, aquariums keep together a large number of species of organisms from different groups. Each of these species requires knowledge on their diet, reproduction, behaviour, potential predators, the environment they inhabit and more. There are major differences between them and much knowledge and experience is required to create a suitable environment, since any deviation can trigger the outbreak of the disease. Outbreaks appear to be exacerbated by loss of balance between the guests and the causative agent. Therefore, proper environment, diet, and proper organism’s selection significantly reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

Treatment in public aquariums is often not possible, because drugs can harm other organisms in the aquarium and the biological filter of the aquarium. Catching fish from the aquarium and moving them to the quarantine pool is also a difficult task, as its stressful for the animals and the healthy ones can get injured. That is why prevention and rapid diagnosis of the disease are all the more important.

As part of the project, we will set up common protocols for assessing water quality, assessing the health status of the animals, determining clinical techniques that will be part of the routine examination of the animals and the autopsy protocol. Wherever possible, we will apply genetic methods by using non invasive environmental DNA for diagnostics. Based on the experience and success of previous treatments, we will determine possible therapies depending on pathogen, type of organism and other conditions.

Based on the experience of both institutions, we will add new methods to the current protocols, standardise them and compare the results. In addition, we will share experiences on the care of individual groups of animals, merge data and thus ensure more appropriate care of organisms.

We will harmonize the protocols of planktonic shrimp (artemia) for the needs of nutrition of organisms in the aquarium and try to cultivate native species of artemia in aquarium conditions.

We will review the entire process of obtaining the organisms, from catching the fish, to transport and quarantine techniques, to acclimation to the aquarium environment and feeding. We will compare the presence of pathogens in newly captured animals at the two sites.