Formula for preparing anti pathogen seawater for fish farms and aquariums

Abstract

A formula, APSW (Anti Pathogen Seawater), for preparing seawater for fish farms and aquariums that contains some or all the normal ingredients of sea salt with the exception of having low or no sulfates. Testing by the applicant has revealed that sea water without sulfates eliminates amyloodiniosis (Amyloodinium ocellatum), one of the most serious diseases of warm water marine fish.

Description

Title: Formula for Preparing Anti-Pathogen Seawater for Fish Farms and AquariumsSpecificationField of the Invention

[0001] Patent class A01K63 / 04, arrangements for treating water specially adapted to receptacles for live fishBackground

[0002] Aquariums have experienced a boom in popularity in recent years. Many saltwater aquariums include a diverse mix of tropical fish, hve coral formations, and other exotic marine life. One of the most serious diseases of tropical marine fish, amyloodiniosis (caused by Amyloodinium ocellatum), the most serious concern of many marine aquarists. Highly pathogenic (typically at or close to 100% mortality if not treated promptly), it can kill all fish within a few days.

[0003] Culture of warm water marine fish for food is also a rapidly expanding segment of aquaculture, with many species of fish cultured in the U.S. and worldwide. These fish are also severely impacted by amyloodiniosis, which can have a major impact on a farm's profitability.

[0004] This invention Anti-Pathogen Seawater (APSW) provides for the effective packaging, transport and retail sale of material containing salt and mineral compounds to generate a culture system for warm water marine fish that will eliminate any amyloodiniosis present on fish or in the fish culture system.

[0005] Affected fish may be at any salinity, since Amyloodinium can affect fish not only in fullstrength seawater, but at very low salinity (almost freshwater).

[0006] There are two current most accepted remedies to treat amyloodiniosis:1.

[0007] Copper

[0008] Copper at a dosage rate of 0.15-0.20 mg / L Cu2+is used for control of fish parasites, including Amyloodmium and Cryptocaryon.

[0009] Negative points-

[0010] Toxic (therapeutic dose very close to lethal dose for fish); also immunosuppressive.-

[0011] Must treat for at least 14 days, in some cases, up to 6 weeks.-

[0012] Toxic to some marine fish.-

[0013] Toxic to all invertebrates and algae.-

[0014] Must inactivate some life support systems during treatment (e.g., activated carbon filtration).-

[0015] Not environmentally friendly.-

[0016] Two forms: ionic and chelated.-

[0017] Ionic copper must be monitored closely with expensive test kit; must be removed with activated carbon after treatment.-

[0018] Chelated copper must also be monitored; more difficult to remove with activated carbon.-

[0019] Copper often remains bound to substrate (gravel, rock) in a tank and can be released (toxic) at a later date; thus, it is recommended to use copper in a hospital tank rather than in the display tank.-

[0020] However, treating in a separate hospital tank is laborious, stressful for fish, often not feasible in large systems or when otherwise fish cannot be captured.2.

[0021] Chloroquine diphosphate treatment.Chloroquine diphosphate is typically dosed at a rate of 10 to 20 milligrams per liter (mg / 1)

[0022] Negative points

[0023] Also used as an antimalarial drug for people, which can make it difficult to acquire. If not available locally over-the-counter (OTC), one must obtain a prescription from a veterinarian.-

[0024] Expensive.-

[0025] Must treat for at least 14 days, possibly up to 6 weeks.-

[0026] Cannot monitor dosage (no test kit available).-

[0027] Must turn off many life support systems (skimmer, possibly biological filter).-

[0028] Inactivated by light - must keep lights low and turn off UV sterilizer.-

[0029] Can be microbially degraded - biological filters may inactivate.-

[0030] Anorexia, too toxic for some fish.-

[0031] Kills invertebrates and algae.

[0032] Anecdotal evidence that resistance may be developing to both medicines. There is documented resistance to chloroquine by malaria; other types of algae in polluted environments are resistant to copperFormula Elements

[0033] This invention lists a formula, the key element being the formulation is low in sulfate or sulfate-free. From the applicant’s experience, when sulfate is removed from a marine fish tank, the amyloodiniosis parasite dies. Thus, the formula that is described herein is illustrative and not restrictive. Indeed, the formula may be carried out in a variety of compositions, with or without all the elements, and with varying amounts of the elements. The key to the invention is that there is little or no sulfate, and not that the other elements need to be a precise amount; only that the primary element in the formula is sodium or compounds of sodium, with minor amount of other minerals.

[0034] A prior art application (LU501230) lists low or no sulfate water for breeding tanks for marine animals. But, the only claim of that application is the reduction or elimination of hydrogen sulfide. In addition, the formula does not include trace minerals which this application lists. Even though the trace mineral content is only a small part of the formula, trace mineral elements are essential for biological, chemical, and physical processes in marine systems. These elements are involved in nutrient cycling, enzyme function, and the growth and development of marine organisms, Thus, as trace minerals may be essential to the successful application of the reduction or elimination of hydrogen sulfide, adding the trace mineral elements is novel to the prior art, and very important to the function of the formula. In addition, all of the other claims made in the current application are novel and for some but not necessarily all uses, trace minerals may be essential to the successfill application of the enclosed claims.

[0035] APSW formula

[0036] Salt components of formula approximate percentage

[0037] Sodium chloride 55%

[0038] Sodium 33%

[0039] Chloride Salts of

[0040] Calcium <3%

[0041] Magnesium < 2%

[0042] Potassium < 2%

[0043] Trace and Assorted minerals 5 %

[0044] Copper

[0045] Zinc

[0046] Iron

[0047] Phosphorus

[0048] Iodine

[0049] Zinc

[0050] Selenium

[0051] Chromium

[0052] Strontium

[0053] Manganese

[0054] Lithium.

[0055] Aluminum

[0056] Rsbicimm

[0057] Cobalt

[0058] Carbonate

[0059] Orthophosphate

[0060] Molybdate

[0061] Thiosulfete

[0062] Bromide

[0063] Iodide Total 100%

[0064] Other than reducing or entirely leaving out sulfates when producing artificial sea water, sulfates may also be removed from seawater by any means (nanofiltration, membrane filtration, anion exchange process in combination with K2SO4 precipitation. Ettringite precipitation, chemical removal, etc.) to reduce or eliminate sulfate from the water.Other Applications for the Formula

[0065] As a preliminary matter, it will readily be understood by one having ordinary skill in the relevant art of preparing marine salt water for aquariums and farmed fish, that salt water without a normal level of sulfates of the present disclosure has broad utility and application over and above treating the amyloodiniosis parasite. Some of the other applications are:

[0066] 2) Treatment of other ectoparasites of marine fish, including Cryptocaryon irritants, scuticociliates, Brooklynella, Trichodina, monogeneans, turbellarians, copepods, and all other parasites that infest the surface of the skin and gills of fish, which covers to the best knowledge of the applicant, every parasite. Some ectoparasites may also penetrate into the surface of the skin or gills but they never extend beyond skin or gill tissue. The only exception is the scuticociliates, which can also cause systemic infections. Residing only on the skin or gills, ectoparasites may need sulfate to survive, since they have evolved to be at or near the surface of the fish and thus are in intimate contact with seawater at all times. Ectoparasites also will leave their host to either infest another fish, or in the case of Cryptocaryon, monogeneans, turbellarians, or copepods, leave the host to reproduce or otherwise continue their life cycle. Thus, especially when away from the host, they would not have another source of sulfur to access. Most free-living protista are phagotrophic (ingest particulate organic matter, such as bacteria, other protists, organic detritus, etc.), but parasitic ectoparasites while off the host would not have that capability since they derive nutrition from the host fish. This is demonstrated by their inability to survive without a host fish. However, while off the host (i.e., during reproduction or development), they may need to obtain some nutrients to survive, such as sulfur, to be incorporated into metabolic pathways. Thus, they might display osmotrophy (i.e., the uptake of dissolved nutrients such as sulfate) while off the host, since they are metabolically active (e.g., dividing to form infective stages) while off the host and thus presumably would need to take up sulfate to incorporate into proteins.

[0067] Lack of sulfate may not always kill a certain parasite but still might reduce its pathogenicity enough to allow time for the host to mount an immune response, which occurs in response to fish ectoparasites.

[0068] 3) Treating bacterial diseases of marine fish - This could include any marine fish (not just warm water fish). Most pathogenic marine bacteria must be present in seawater to be transmitted from one fish host to another. Some reside mainly on the surface of the fish, where they damage the skin and gills. Sulfate is needed for survival of marine bacteria, since they use sulfate as their primary source of sulfur. Bacteria can also obtain pre-reduced sulfur from the seawater’s dissolved organic sulfur (DOS) pool, into which labile organic sulfur compounds are released from phytoplankton and other marine microorganisms. However, in the artificial environment of an aquaculture system, changing the water to nutrient-lacking APSW would eliminate sulfate, as well as greatly reduce the availability of DOS, thus “starving” the pathogenic bacteria.Therefore, absence of or low sulfate may kill these bacteria, or otherwise reduce their pathogenicity by weakening them.

[0069] 4) Using APSW with healthy-looking fish to eliminate the infection before it becomes a disease. Amyloodinium is probably carried asymptomatically on healthy fish since it cannot survive in the environment (obligate parasite). So, the APSW could be used to remove all parasites from even a healthy-looking fish population to prevent any future outbreaks. Other pathogens are also carried asymptomatically and thus may also be eliminated from healthy looking marine animals.Marine Applications for APSW1)

[0070] Reduce the availability of sulfates, thus “starving” pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, absence of, or reduced, sulfate may kill these bacteria, or otherwise reduce their pathogenicity by weakening them. Similarly, marine culture systems may also experience bacterial “blooms”, which are unsightly (cloud the water) and may be harmful to marine animals; these bacteria would also be expected to be negatively affected by low or no sulfate.2)

[0071] Treat water-borne infectious diseases of other marine animals, including but not limited to crustaceans, mollusks, corals. Such pathogens would include ectoparasites such as Zoothamnion and Vorticella on shrimp and crabs, as well as bacterial pathogens.3)

[0072] Use as a combination treatment with another drug or method - APSW or otherwise seawater with reduced or no sulfate might facilitate or synergize with other methods used to treat marine animal diseases. For example, if the lack of sulfate weakens a pathogen, it might require less of the companion drug to treat that pathogen.4)

[0073] Prevent the formation of “off flavor” - Lowering or eliminating sulfate may also inhibit microbes that produce chemicals responsible for "off flavor" in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)-cultured marine animals. Off flavor is a taint that is imparted to the flesh due to the production of certain compounds (geosmin, 2-methylisobomeol) by bacteria in an RAS. These compounds give the flesh a distasteful flavor, making it unsalable. Thus, farmers must spend considerable time and money placing their animals in clean water for an extended time to allow these chemicals to dissipate from the flesh. Reducing the prevalence of these microbes in the RAS would be a significant financial benefit to farmers.5)

[0074] Preventing the formation of hydrogen sulfide - In the marine environment, sulfate is reduced to hydrogen sulfide (H2S) by microbes (Desulfovibrio); H2S is highly toxic to marine life, interfering with re-oxidation of cytochrome a3in respiration.. Hydrogen sulfide is toxic to biofilter microbes and fish are stressed by sublethal H2S, making them more susceptible to disease. Hydrogen sulfide is a serious problem in salmonid RAS and has recently been suspected of causing a number of mass mortalities in RAS. Thus, reducing or eliminating sulfate may actually produce a superior, “healthier” seawater compared to the standard natural seawater formulation. This application may extend beyond finfish aquaculture since shrimp and other invertebrates are being raised with increasing frequency in RAS with artificial seawater, and hydrogen sulfide can also be a problem in those systems.6)

[0075] Advantages of APSW in treating amyloodiniosis:-

[0076] Strong experimental evidence that it kills 100% of Amyloodinium parasites in vitro-

[0077] In vitro model is highly similar to the host-parasite interaction in vivo-

[0078] This treatment targets the parasitic stage on the fish (trophont), unlike all other medicines that typically target the parasitic stage that is off the fish (dinospore)-

[0079] If the trophont is not affected by a treatment, morbidity and mortality continues while the parasites continue to feed and grow on the fish, and until the parasites leave the host to form the dinospore-

[0080] In vitro evidence suggests that APSW may completely cure fish of amyloodiniosis; if so, no possibility that disease can recur after treatment. This is less likely to occur with copper or chloroquine because they target the dinospore. Amyloodinium is an obligate parasite and so must be present in a latent / carrier state on the fish when not causing a disease outbreak. It cannot survive in the environment.-

[0081] APSW may be “reef-safe”, i.e., usable in an aquarium that has not only fish, but invertebrates (corals, shrimp, crabs, etc.). There is no treatment that can safely (for invertebrates) treat fish for amyloodiniois in a reef tank.-

[0082] APSW could be used not only as a treatment but also as a substitute for commercial artificial seawater in growing or maintaining aquarium fish or food fish.

Claims

ClaimsI claim1. An artificial seawater with anti-pathogen properties for use in fish farms and aquariums that will kill or inhibit Amyloodinium, a parasite, by depriving the parasite of levels of sulfate ion that are required for survival or growth, the artificial seawater being comprised of these essential components:Sodium chlorideChloride salts ofCalciumMagnesiumPotassiumTrace mineralsCopperIronChromiumManganeseLithium Rubidium2. The_artificial seawater of claim 1 to act in combination with drugs for killing or inhibiting the Amyloodinium parasite.

3. The artificial seawater.of claim 1 for killing or inhibiting ectoparasites of marine fish, the ectoparasites comprising_Cryptocaryon irritans, scuticociliates, Brooklynella, Trichodina, monogeneans, turbellarians, and copepods, parasites that infest the surface of the skin and gills of fish.

4. The artificial seawater of claim 1 to act in combination with drugs for killing or inhibiting ectoparasites of marine fish, the ectoparasites comprising Cryptocaryon irritans, scuticociliates, Brooklynella, Trichodina, monogeneans, turbellarians and copepods.

5. The artificial seawater of claim 1 for killing or inhibiting bacterial pathogens of marine fish.

6. The artificial seawater of claim 1 to act combination.with drugs for killing or inhibiting bacterial pathogens of marine fish.

7. The artificial seawater of claim 1 for ki lling or inhibiting water-borne pathogens of marine invertebrates.

8. The artificial seawater of claim 1 to be used in combination with drugs for treating waterborne pathogens of marine invertebrates.

9. The artificial seawater of claim 1 to inhibit microbes that produce chemicals responsible for "off flavor" in cultured marine animals, “off flavor” being caused by accumulation of geosmin and 2 -methylisoborneol.

10. The artificial seawater of claim 1 for eliminating pathogens from healthy-Iooking marine animals.

11. The artificial seawaterpf claim 1 where sulfate-free or reduced sulfate water is created by removing sulfate from seawater by means of nanofiltration, membrane filtration, anion exchange process in combination with K2SO4 precipitation, Ettringite precipitation, or chemical removal, to reduce or eliminate sulfate from regular seawater, to kill or inhibit pathogens, or control off- flavor,12. The artificial seawater of claim 1 for preventing the formation of hydrogen sulfide13. The artificial seawater of claim 1 where sulfate-free or reduced sulfate seawater is created by removing sulfate from seawater by membrane filtration, anion exchange process in combination with K2SO4 precipitation, Ettringite precipitation or chemical removal, to reduce or eliminate sulfate from the seawater to prevent the formation of hydrogen sulfide.

14. The artificial seawater of claim 1 to slow growth or reduce levels of microbes or parasites in seafood comprising oysters, clams, shrimp and fish; the artificial seawater may be used with seafood that is treated while it is alive, during depuration of oysters, after placing in live holdingtanks on a ship, or placing on ice on a ship, after being processed to various degrees, shucked oysters and fish fillets, or during shipment, or during storage prior to sale.

15. The artificial seawater of claim 1 to act in combination with other methods for treating microbial contamination of marine seafood comprising low temperature, irradiation, modified atmosphere packaging, hydrostatic pressure processing (HPP), mild heat processing, individual quick freezing (IQF) with extended frozen storage, dielectric barrier discharges, hyperbaric storage, ozonation, pulsed electric field, phage treatment, cold plasma and sous vide.