Abstract

Corneal disease associated with numerous etiologies is common in teleost fish.^1-3 Surgical treatments, including partial spectaculectomy,⁴ have been described; however, full-thickness removal of the spectacle and grafting procedures are not well documented. We describe three cases of keratoplasty involving full-thickness spectacle removal in three different species: an Asian arowana (Scleropages formosus), a green moray eel (Gymnothorax funebris), and a copper rockfish (Sebastes caurinus). All cases presented with severe pathology involving the majority of the cornea and spectacle. Gross clinical findings included abscessation, crystalline infiltration, or formation of a descemetocele. Histopathologic diagnoses included lipogranulomatous keratitis for the arowana and eel. Surgical procedures, medical treatment, and outcomes are described. All procedures involved surgical removal of affected spectacle and placement of a graft. Graft material included a combination of either a donor cornea from a deceased teleost of an unrelated species (xenograft), swine intestinal submucosa (SIS) (BioSIS ECM Ocular Discs, Vetrix, Cumming, GA, USA), and/or amnion (amnion ocular discs, Vetrix, Cumming, GA, USA). Variable healing and sloughing of grafts were seen in all three cases; however, return to corneal clarity, and therefore likely function, was seen in two of the three cases. To our knowledge, this is the first report of complete spectacle loss and subsequent corneal function in teleosts. Results suggest that keratoplasty is a reasonable salvage procedure in teleost fish and that enucleation may not be necessary even in cases of severe surface ocular disease.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the New England Aquarium Galleries and GOT husbandry team, along with the biologists and technicians in the Animal Health Department for their assistance with these cases and their dedicated care of these animals.

*Presenting author

Literature Cited

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2.  Williams CR, Whitaker BR. 1997. The evaluation and treatment of common ocular disorders in teleosts. Semin Avian Exot Pet Med. 6:160–169.

3.  Williams D. 2018. Ocular surface biology and disease in fish. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract. 22:81–95.

4.  Clode AB, Harms CA, Fatzinger M, Young F. 2012. Identification and management of ocular lipid deposition in association with hyperlipidaemia in captive moray eels, Gymnothorax funebris Ranzani, Gymnothorax moringa (Cuvier) and Muraena retifera. J Fish Dis. 35(9):683–693.