Microscope and reference book suggestions.

[kaceyo]

I'm thinking of getting a microscope and a good book with info on taking samples, slide prep and identifying pathogens etc. I have absolutly no experience at this so could use some suggestions on any minimum specs needed to purchase a microscope good enough to do the job,and any books for beginners that have photo's, directions etc.
Is it reasonable for me to think I could start identifying pathogens and use this info to treat my fish with just a book and a scope?
Let me know what you think.

Kacey

[Greg Richardson]

Once you get this info don't forget UW Surplus store for Scope.
They had three for sale the other day.

[pcsb23]

Kacey,

I am having to replace my scope, had it since I was a kid and its broke. I'm hoping chritmas sees a new one for me :D

These are the ones I am looking at, I know this is a UK site but the specs are the important bit.
http://www.brunelmicroscopes.co.uk/student-microscope.html

Untergassers Discus Health would be an excellent reference book too imo.

And yes it is very reasonable to identify parasites, then you can target the treatment better.

hth,

[Ardan]

Hi,
I find a microscope with 50 to 100 times power to be helpful in identifying worm diseases. tapeworm, nematodes...
a good book to help is "Handbook of Fish Diseases" by Dieter Untergasser.



hth
Ardan

[Graham]

Kacey...Ideally the scope should have at least 400x power...costia is even hard to see that this power....It can be either monocular or more ideally binocular. The better the optics...no different than a camera the better....the happier you'll be and the better the inage will be.

It should have it's own light source, not a reflective one as some kids models have. It should have controls on the stage for moving the slide around and controls for condensing the light and increasing contrast


The UK fish doc site gets into detail on them....Ebay has tons of them for sale and local universities or hospitals will have them also. Expect to pay $200+ for a decent one

http://www.fishdoc.co.uk/microscope/micro01.htm

Excellant site

http://www.koiquest.co.uk/Microscopy.htm

As far as taking scrapes is concerned and preparing slides a lot of it is on the web...especially on some of the koi sites. I can describe it to you along with pics if need be...it's actualy very easy.

Find your local Koi club and see if they are putting on a wetlab...then you can get some hands on training.ID'ing parasites is fairly easy,, I can even send you videos of what some of them look like under the scope

1st off get a scope and then some bug infested feeder GF....they may not survive :angel: but oh well

G

Your 1st one........ Ich taken with a gill snipe

[kaceyo]

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as the books go, I'd think the one on discus specificly would be the best "first" book, as it concentrates on diseases and treatments that are for discus. But would the "Hanbook..." be better for identifying the many bugs in general? Since they're both by the same author I'd guess that many of the bug ID pics are duplicated in each book? I can only get one, but which one?

Kacey

[pcsb23]

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as the books go, I'd think the one on discus specificly would be the best "first" book, as it concentrates on diseases and treatments that are for discus. But would the "Hanbook..." be better for identifying the many bugs in general? Since they're both by the same author I'd guess that many of the bug ID pics are duplicated in each book? I can only get one, but which one?

Kacey

Hi Kacey, six and two threes :) The discus health has all the bug id in it from memory but is more complete and more expensive than the Handbook. Win/win though!

[kaceyo]

Thanks Paul,
I would have thought it would be the other way around.