Pet fish face a rough ride when shipped from their home waters to aquariums around the world. To stave off infection, antibiotic use is widespread in the
ornamental fish industry. But the practice is proving increasingly ineffective and contributes to antibiotic resistance in these ornamental fish, according to a study published
this month in the Journal of Fish Diseases. Scientists studied the bacteria within 32 species of freshwater fish that were imported from
Singapore, Colombia, and Florida, the major hubs for ornamental fish export. They found nine bacterial species that were not susceptible to any of the
antibiotics tested.
The most effective antibiotic had 16% resistance. The least effective drug faced 77% resistance. Though the health risks to humans remains low, the bigger
problem is that the $15 billion ornamental fish industry will face a growing challenge treating diseased fish as antibiotics remain unregulated.
Researchers plan to use this information to educate fish farmers on the need to curb the blanket use of antibiotics in fish feed.
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