The following is a summary of the disease cases diagnosed in just one year by two Alabama fish disease laboratories. Although the majority of fish received for diagnosis come from Alabama fish farms, the labs frequently receive fish from outside the state. These figures represent just the fish from Alabama and are provided to illustrate the multitude of diseases that are out there. This is only a partial list since other labs in the state also diagnose fish diseases. 567 Total diagnosis reflects the number of disease agents identified.
Routine examination includes certification and other non-disease related examinations.
Case load refers to the number of examinations performed. Only a fraction of TAN exists as the toxic ammonia but its proportion increases dramatically as the temperature and pH of the water increases. Several possible treatments for high ammonia levels in ponds have been suggested. Research on the potential of zeolite, formalin, bacteria, aeration, water exchange, and phosphorus to reduce ammonia concentration in pond waters was conducted at Auburn University in 1992. The results are discussed in the following paragraphs.