BSJF Necropsy (GRAPHIC)

[BarbMazz]

I think Nikki makes good observations, and I hope you get to examine some who have died from BSJF disease. If parasites or cysts are observed in the white spots that will go a long way in figuring how to help these guys.

[nikkipigtails]

thanks, Barb

[Dentoid]

Originally Posted by Anselth

Scott, did you examine any of the other organs under the 'scope? As terrible as it sounds, increasing study on this would probably require the dissection of a baseline individual, one that is completely healthy, to note any changes to the internal physiology. If you need any help let me know, my collegiate background is in Marine Bio, and this would definitely be something I would like to help out with.

Adam, I didn't examine the other organs. I was mainly looking for parasites within the digestive track and stumbled upon the crystalline entities.

I realize that a baseline dissection on a healthy specimen is needed, but I just can not bring myself to taking the life of one of these beautiful creatures, even for the sake of science. I have a love/hate relationship with laboratory testing on animals. On one hand I recognize the contributions animals have made to medicine and science, but on the other hand it breaks my heart to see or imagine their suffering. I'm not a research scientist, just a hobbyist interested in the science. I hope to get a scientist interested in researching this species.

Your background qualifies you to accept a project like this and any help would be greatly appreciated.

Wonderloss, I don't know what kind of substrate was in the tank at the time of this BS death. For all I know these crystalline entities could be normal and aid in digestion.

DavidP, I was thinking Nematoda or Annelida, but really have no idea.

CAVINCA, I am not use to working without an assistant so when I'm doing this at home, my instruments are all over the place. Assistants are always a good thing!

Nikki, these are all excellent ideas and thought provoking. They are all areas that need to be examined. Internal parasites are generally highly specialized organism that are well suited for living within a host either intermediately or indefinitely until the host dies. They gain access in may different ways. Sometimes through the skin, sometimes through the mouth etc.

I agree that the change in skin coloration needs to be examined as well. However, many species of fish can change chromatophores in their skin based on mood, sexual activity, defense etc. I think the white spots are a part of a normal response in this species. Both of my BS have shown these white spots from time to time without any untoward effects. They come and go.

Here is a light microscope picture, I took, of a scale of the donated BSJF. You can see the chromatophores in the skin that is attached (the starlike structures). Can anyone tell how old this specimen was?



Also, there is no such thing as BSJF disease, it is a made-up term and has no basis in science. However, this specimen did present with similar symptoms before death that so many other BSJF have died from. Whether they are related has yet to be discovered.

Everyone else that have posted here, thanks for your input and thoughts. This is how we will get to the bottom of this, with everyones input. I always said this will be the biggest on-line research project, ever! Keep the ideas and thoughts coming!

[30x30]

I believe the sand that is in the tank is caribsea special grade. The fish was well received and ate well for about 3 weeks before falling to his demise, coincidentially in conjunction with my skimmer being off for a weekend. The experience is going to be repeated with everything the same except that I am changing my reef salt. I'm disappointed that I didn't buy the BS on liveaquaria, but i pulled the trigger fully knowing that as soon as i did another one would show up.

[kathywithbirds]

Scott, is that "onion" like coating on the ingested substrate SOP for BSJF?

[Dentoid]

That's the way Cory! Get back on the horse. You have made a great donation too the start of this cause. I for one am appreciative!

[Dentoid]

Originally Posted by kathywithbirds

Scott, is that "onion" like coating on the ingested substrate SOP for BSJF?

That's a good question Kathy. Like Adam said sacrificing and examining healthy specimens would be needed.

[bluespotjawfish]

Had I been on top of this better, I could have donated many this past year.

I personally hope that I cannot contribute to further experiments!

I do think this is an interesting experiment and one that this species deserves.

Can't wait to see the results of Frankie's icicle! I thought he had it framed by now!

[Dentoid]

I think Frankie's BS is in the deep freeze with Walt Disney!

[kathywithbirds]

Would getting other jawfishes other than blue spots help this?

(I DO NOT want to be able to help, my diamond goby is great so far!!!)

[Dentoid]

I don't know that other jawfish species are having this kind of poor survival in captivity. I know that Dusky jawfishes are pretty hardy and the Yellow headed and Pearly Headed jawfish are too. In fact they have been breed in captivity.

[tbittner]

All I can say is WOW!!! This is incredible! I can't tell you how impressed I am.

Now, as far as the blockage... Chickens eat grit to build up and keep built up a level of grinding material in their gizzard. That material is used to help grind the food up before entering the intestines for absorption. Obviously, a fish and a chicken aren't even close biologically speaking, but then again, what DO we know about the biological makeup of a BSJF. It would be interesting to see if the same blockage exists in other marine fish.

Incredibly impressive work, Scott! I wish I would have come over to help you with this.

[Dentoid]

Thanks Terry! If you ever need a necropsy done, bring the specimen over, I have the microscopes, instruments and beer!

[tbittner]

Thanks Scott. Hopefully I won't have any specimens anytime soon though.

But I am really curious about the blockage though. I'm wondering if it serves a purpose or if it's truly blocking food from reaching the intestines and the poor fish starves.

[Anselth]

Terry, I'm inclined to think it's not a blockage that's killing the fish for a simple reason: The gut is empty. While a blockage in the intestine would certainly prevent the absorbtion of food, you should see undigested matter in the stomach, an overabundance of which would explain the lack of appetite. That doesn't seem to be the case here. I'm kicking around two possibilities in my head:

First, that the sand particles don't block the intestines, per se, but irritate them to the point that the fish does not want to eat. Similar to a human with a stomach bug. Unfortunately, the body is unable to pass the particle and the fish wastes away. I think this is unlikely, however, given that ingesting sand is probably something these animals do in the wild on a regular basis.

Second, a reaction between the stomach acids and the sand is either damaging the stomach lining and intestines, or irritating it to the point that the fish loses its appetite. The fish was apparently living in an aragonite sand bed in captivity. From the limited information I was able to find on the geology of the region, it seems like the sea floor in the Sea of Cortez would be mostly made up of silica and volcanic sands. Remember, aragonite is made of CaCO3, so a strong interaction with stomach acids is possible. The part of this theory that gives me pause is that the yellow-headed jawfish is a Caribbean species which we don't see this issue in. however, the Caribbean jawfishes may have evolved to deal with the interaction of acid and base in their stomachs.