Clinical care and husbandry for aquatic biomedical research species

Aquatic Laboratory Animal Medicine addresses clinical medicine, husbandry, and facility operations for freshwater fish, amphibians, and cephalopods. The book functions both as a detailed clinical reference and as a quick-access guide for daily aquatic program management. Authoritative yet practical, it provides the clinical, husbandry, and operational guidance needed to deliver high-quality care and maintain effective institutional aquatic programs.

Coverage spans biosecurity protocols, pathogenic and non-infectious disease diagnosis and treatment, surgical techniques, anesthesia, and euthanasia methods. Husbandry topics include nutrition, breeding programs, life support systems, water quality management, and housing design. The book also addresses facility start-up planning and disaster preparedness, providing the operational framework needed to establish and maintain aquatic animal care programs. 

Key topics also include:

• Practical diagnostic techniques and treatment approaches tailored to the specific physiology of freshwater fish, amphibians, and cephalopods
• Facility design guidance covering life support system engineering, housing configuration, and infrastructure planning for new aquatic programs
• Water quality management protocols addressing monitoring parameters, troubleshooting, and maintaining optimal conditions for research species health
• Biosecurity frameworks for institutional aquatic facilities including quarantine procedures, disease surveillance, and pathogen prevention strategies
• Disaster preparedness planning for aquatic facilities with actionable protocols to protect animal welfare during emergencies and system failures

Aquatic Laboratory Animal Medicine is an essential reference for veterinarians, veterinary technicians, aquatic animal caregivers, facility managers, and researchers working with aquatic species in biomedical research, and its practical insights will also benefit those in the pet trade.

The editors

Toi A. Collins, DVM, MS, DACLAM, is the Director of Preclinical Research Support & Veterinary Services at the University of Virginia, Center for Comparative Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

Michael B. Palillo, DVM, MS, CertAqV, DACLAM is Senior Clinical Veterinarian for Aquatic, Agricultural & Biosecurity Programs​ at the University of Virginia, Center for Comparative Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.

Raphael A. Malbrue, DVM, MS, CertAqV, DACLAM, is Attending Veterinarian and the Associate Vice President for Research for Comparative Medicine & Preclinical Studies at the Center for Comparative Medicine in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.