Nearly all lionfish in captivity more than three years show evidence of fatty liver disease upon necropsyThe fish in our aquariums rely solely on us to meet their dietary needs, and their long-term health and well-being are sure to suffer if we aren’t careful to provide foods in the proper amounts and of the appropriate nutritional balance. In the following excerpt from The Salt Smart Guide to Preventing, Diagnosing, and Treating Diseases of Marine Fishes, author Jay Hemdal explains how improper feeding can lead to the all-too-common problem of fatty liver disease in captive marine fishes—and what you can do to prevent it.From Chapter 3: Husbandry, Environment, and Your Fishes’ Health “A major chronic health problem facing most long-term captive marine fishes is “fatty liver disease,” or liver degeneration. Fish do not assimilate fats well, so oftentimes, if a fish’s diet is too high in fat, it will then be deposited in various tissues, especially the liver. Unlike with mammals, this fat is not readily usable during times of starvation. Even if food is withheld from a fat-laden fish, very little of the fat is ever reconverted into usable energy. Some fish do not show outward signs of obesity, especially sedentary species such as grouper.
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