[RML] Deformed fish.

Rob Wager (raintree at mail.cth.com.au)
Fri, 27 Feb 1998 11:25:55 +1000

I've just finished some aquatic survey work in a Brisbane Creek. Water flow
in the creek is maintained by sewage effluent - yuk. Amazingly enough there
are native fish in the creek. But a significant proportion (about 15%) of
the firetail gudgeons have deformities like missing vertebrate, bent spines,
cleft upper jaw and missing gill covers and fins.

I suppose the deformiries could be caused by toxins or heavy metals, but it
could be poor diet, inbreeding (unlikely) or some other environmental
stress. Does anybody know of any work anywhere on fish deformities?

Thanks in advance

Rob Wager
Raintree Aquatics Pty Ltd
Aquatic Environment and Aquaculture Specialists
1002 Caboolture River Road
Rocksberg QLD 4510
AUSTRALIA
Phone: 07 5496 7939 Facsimile: 07 5497 0022
Email: raintree at mail.cth.com.au