Among the fishes. a remarkably wide range ofbiological adaptations to diverse habitats has evolved. As weIl as living in the conventional habitats of lakes. ponds. rivers. rock pools and the open sea. fish have solved the problems of life in deserts. in the deep sea. in the cold Antarctic. and in warm waters of high alkalinity or of low oxygen. Along with these adaptations. we find the most impressive specializations of morphology. physiology and behaviour. For example we can marvel at the high-speed swimming of the marlins. sailfish and warm-blooded tunas. air breathing in catfish and lungfish. parental care in the mouth-brooding cichlids and viviparity in many sharks and toothcarps. Moreover. fish are of considerable importance of the survival of the human species in the form ofnutritious and delicious food ofnumerous kinds. Rational exploitation and management of our global stocks of fishes must rely upon a detailed and precise insight of their biology. The Chapman and Hall Fish and Fisheries Series aims to present timely volumes reviewing important aspects of fish biology. Most volumes will be of interest to research workers in biology. zoology. ecology and physiology. but an additional aim is for the books to be accessible to a wide spectrum of non specialist readers ranging from undergraduates and postgraduates to those with an interest in industrial and commercial aspects of fish and fisheries.

Cyprinids rank as one of the most commercially important groups of freshwater fishes and are exploited for many purposes; as a human food source, especially in Europe and Asia; as sport fish; and as ornamental fish for ponds and aquaria. Certain species are also cultured as bait fish and several of the small cyprinids such as the zebra fish have become internationally accepted laboratory models for toxicology testing and molecular research. A thorough understanding of cyprinid health and diseases is fundamental to the successful management and exploitation of these fishes for freshwater fisheries, pisciculture and ornamental productions. This practical guide to disease diagnosis, prevention and control includes numerous colour plates and covers a comprehensive array of diseases - infectious and non-infectious - of cultivated and wild cyprinids.

As a group, carp provide 4 million metric tonnes of fish annually - over a quarter of all fish culture worldwide. For the first time, a book is available in English that concentrates solely on the carp as an economic rather than an ornamental fish with a panel of international experts producing a comprehensive, practical volume about carp production and management. Starting with a brief look at the biology of cyprinids, the book then discusses the methods and management of carp farming, from water quality to the economics of fish production in ponds. Novel methods to improve stock, including genetic engineering, are covered and case studies give added value to the text. As carp farming turns from traditional to intensive methods, farmers, researchers and technicians in industry will welcome this benchmark volume, which also is a valuable reference book for graduate and postgraduate students and lecturers in aquaculture.

Awarded Bookauthority's "Best Aquaculture Books of all Time" A comprehensive resource that covers all the aspects of sex control in aquaculture written by internationally-acclaimed scientists Comprehensive in scope, Sex Control in Aquaculture first explains the concepts and rationale for sex control in aquaculture, which serves different purposes. The most important are: to produce monosex stocks to rear only the fastest-growing sex in some species, to prevent precocious or uncontrolled reproduction in other species and to aid in broodstock management. The application of sex ratio manipulation for population control and invasive species management is also included. Next, this book provides detailed and updated information on the underlying genetic, epigenetic, endocrine and environmental mechanisms responsible for the establishment of the sexes, and explains chromosome set manipulation techniques, hybridization and the latest gene knockout approaches. Furthermore, the book offers detailed protocols and key summarizing information on how sex control is practiced worldwide in 35 major aquaculture species or groups, including fish and crustaceans, and puts the focus on its application in the aquaculture industry. With contributions from an international panel of leading scientists, Sex Control in Aquaculture will appeal to a large audience: aquaculture/fisheries professionals and students, scientists or biologists working with basic aspects of fish/shrimp biology, growth and reproductive endocrinology, genetics, molecular biology, evolutionary biology, and R&D managers and administrators. This text explores sex control technologies and monosex production of commercially-farmed fish and crustacean species that are highly in demand for aquaculture, to improve feed utilization efficiency, reduce energy consumption for reproduction and eliminate a series of problems caused by mixed sex rearing. Thus, this book: Contains contributions from an international panel of leading scientists and professionals in the field Provides comprehensive coverage of both established and new technologies to control sex ratios that are becoming more necessary to increase productivity in aquaculture Includes detailed coverage of the most effective sex control techniques used in the world's most important commercially-farmed species Sex Control in Aquaculture is the comprehensive resource for understanding the biological rationale, scientific principles and real-world practices in this exciting and expanding field.

There has been a continual expansion in aquaculture, such that total production is fast approaching that of wild-caught fisheries. Yet the expansion is marred by continued problems of disease. New pathogens emerge, and others become associated with new conditions. Some of these pathogens become well established, and develop into major killers of aquatic species. Diagnosis and Control of Diseases of Fish and Shellfish focuses on the diagnosis and control of diseases of fish and shellfish, notably those affecting aquaculture. Divided into 12 chapters, the book discusses the range of bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens, their trends, emerging problems, and the relative significance to aquaculture. Developments in diagnostics and disease management, including the widespread use of serological and molecular methods, are presented. Application/dose and mode of action of prebiotics, probiotics and medicinal plant products used to control disease are examined, as well as the management and hygiene precautions that can be taken to prevent/control the spread of disease. This book will be a valuable resource for researchers, students, diagnosticians, veterinarians, fish pathologists and microbiologists concerned with the management of diseases of fish and shellfish.

The successful reproduction of cultured brood stock is essential to the sustainable aquaculture of aquatic organisms. This book describes recent advances in the field of finfish reproductive biotechnology. The chapters in this volume are written by eminent scientists who review the progress and assess the status of biotechnology research that is applicable to the reproduction of finfish species for aquaculture. A wide range of topics is included starting with broodstock technologies such as broodstock genetics, broodstock nutrition, environmental control of maturation and impacts of stress on broodstock, gametes and progeny. The volume includes technologies for induction of ovulation and spermiation using synthetic hypothalamic peptides. Gamete technologies which are described include cryopreservation, chromosome set manipulation, disease prevention and control for gametes and embryos and the development of transgenic fish with enhanced production characteristics. Genetic and endocrine technologies for the production of monosex male and female fish stocks are also described.The closing chapter summarizes the discussion of each topic at the workshop, provides recommendations to industry and describes priorities of research and development. Researchers as well as teaching faculty in the aquaculture field will find this volume of great value.