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Veterinarian Position Update #2 We Finally Got It! It took 7 years, but all the perseverance has paid off.
Bayluscide is now available through the Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association's Coop
Store. While it came in at a bit more than first predicted, at $35.00 for half a pound, it
is still an extremely cost effective way to get rid of what has become a major problem in
ponds - cone snails. In the example from the following fact sheet, the cost of treatment
is right at $3.00 ($35.00 divided by 8 ounces/half pound, times 0.69 ounces = $3.01).
While a long term control program for an entire farm is not an insignificant investment,
when looked at on a pond-by-pond basis, it's quite a deal. Cone snails are an intermediate
host for a worm which invades and encysts in the gills of fish. Over the past few years, I
have witnessed an alarming increase in the number of farms which have this snail, and the
associated health problem. Once the fish are infected, there is no known treatment. If you
have these snails, I highly recommend that you start a control program using Bayluscide. 1) The snails are most active at night. The half life of Bayluscide is about 24 hours. Therefore, it appears that the best time of the day to apply Bayluscide is after dark, after the pool has been allowed to fill. Treating in the morning does not get a complete kill. 2) Bayluscide at 1 pound per surface acre does not kill many of the fish the industry is raising. This is not to say that it is safe to use Bayluscide where fish are important. It does say that Bayluscide should not be used to kill existing fish when snails are also present. 3) A wettable powder, Bayluscide easily mixes with water, but to assure an even distribution throughout the pond volume, it is best to use a sprayer to apply. Mixing Bayluscide in water and then broadcasting with a bucket does not get as good a kill as when a sprayer is used. 4) Bayluscide is toxic to a number of non-target species, including frogs and their larva. Applications at 1 pound per surface acre will kill both tadpoles and adult frogs. Bayluscide should not be used where tadpoles and/or adult frogs are a resource. 5) Liming a pond before treatment is not recommended. The lime effectively keeps the snails down in the pond mud/sand for several days. By the time the snails emerge, the Bayluscide is essentially gone from the water. 6) Bayluscide is a highly controlled, limited use, restricted use pesticide. It is extremely important that you maintain accurate and detailed records of purchase and use of Bayluscide. This is the first 24-C label granted to this industry by the state of Florida, and it is important that the industry demonstrate its commitment to proper use of pesticides. Deadline for Water Meters on Permitted Wells July 31, 1995! All wells with a water use permit associated with their use, and within any of the Southwest Florida Water Management District's Water Use Cautionary Areas, must have meters on them no later than July 1, 1995. As I understand the rule, failure to have these meters in place could threaten your water use permit. Given all of the developments surrounding water use in the west-central region of Florida, I highly recommend that you do everything to protect your legal access to ground water. Currently there is a Southern Water Use Cautionary Area (SWUCA) and another on the Highlands Ridge. The SWUCA encompasses most of the area where tropical fish are being produced. There was a rumor that since the new SWUCA rules were still being challenged, that the meter provision would not be enforced until the final rule is made final. However, officials with the Tampa office of SWFWMD have told me that since the meter provisions were already part of the existing rules, the outcome of the proposed changes will have no effect on the requirements for meters. Shireman Named Head of Fisheries While his presence at the University of Florida is going to be missed, his new position assures that we will continue to see a lot of him. Florida Tropical Fish The Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association (FTFFA) has recently changed their format for the Annual Meeting held in the fall. To be held at the Florida Expo Park in Tampa (the Fairgrounds), this year's program looks to be one worth attending. In addition to a fish show competition and a trade show designed for producers, the FTFFA has put together what promises to be an interesting series of seminars, demonstrations and open-forum discussions. Following is a schedule of events: Friday, August 18
Saturday, August 19
Sunday, August 20
For more information, contact David Boozer, at (941)293-5710. Craig A. Watson The best farms in this industry have not only mastered the production end of things, but probably more importantly have developed sound business practices and budgets for their operations. It is my experience that the most profitable farms are also the most well organized from a purely business stand point. Several years ago I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. John Holt give a presentation on risk management in agriculture. While he has a PhD, he also can talk to people on a level they can relate to. He will be visiting with me and a few farms prior to the evening presentation, so hopefully he will have an idea of the issues the industry is facing. I have told him that risk management is a real problem in this industry, but we have purposefully kept the title of the program open until after he has met with the industry. I realize that this is not a "glory topic" (like injecting fish with hormones!), but it is probably one of the most needed for many farms. |