Lice are a huge problem. If this solution works, it must not be implemented that widely. The news is full of solutions like physical washing, thermic treatment (basically hot baths), loads of chemicals, also huge amounts of chlorine poured into surrounding rivers because the fish escape the farms and spread lice. The lice are really adaptive. There are more and more lice due to higher sea temperatures[0] and increased resistance to treatments.
My comment was half in gentle jest, but you have really found a relevant example there - thanks for sharing. I guess I have a potential PhD project if I ever want to get into maritime biology: "The Dark Side of the Fish: How Crafty Parasites Outmaneuver High-Tech Pest Control"
I’ve noticed that selective pressure on shrimp in an aquarium leads to colour morphs very, very quickly. I bet lice are the same.
I’ve had tanks where shrimp will match their surroundings quite closely within a year or so. This would be due to some micro predator being present and picking off any babies that are easy to see. Shrimp have babies frequently and the only ones that survive in those conditions are able to blend in really well. Every 2.5 months or so a new generation becomes sexually mature and has dozens of babies every 8 weeks or so.
It’s a fun hobby because you can actually develop your own morphs in a matter of only years if you want to.
So it’s not necessarily evolution, but pigments developing (or not) due to environmental pressures.
Heard about this several years ago and while it's very cool technology, it's sadly also like putting makeup on a pig. Fish health in those tanks is terrible. The entire idea of farming fish is terrible. The best idea they've come up with so far to avoid sickness is moving those farm tanks onto land so they can be as controlled as possible. I find it to be a bleak industry.
I would love to see more data on this. Their site makes some bold claims, but it is hard to know how to quantify the effectiveness of the laser treatment, How many units do you need per X fish? After how many hours/ days/ weeks does it take to reduce the parasites to X levels?
Not critiquing the technology, just hard to visualize as someone with no knowledge or experience in the field.
oh man dont I just love lasers, just saying laser makes me feel good, more laser
and dont I hate parisites and vermin, laser, zap
more zap, less horrible blood suckers, and vermin
got a small hobby farm....wont use poisons...so
I know, probably not going to get rat lazers, but laser powered rat detectors before it gets all kinetic on there dirty rat asses...,snacks for the ravens
[0] https://www-nrk-no.translate.goog/nordland/hoye-temperaturer...
And interesting thing is that the lice apparently evolve super fast, including getting translucent and resistant against poison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perissodus_microlepis
Depending on which type is more frequent the other is more successful because the prey is more cautions on the other side...
edit: spelling
I’ve had tanks where shrimp will match their surroundings quite closely within a year or so. This would be due to some micro predator being present and picking off any babies that are easy to see. Shrimp have babies frequently and the only ones that survive in those conditions are able to blend in really well. Every 2.5 months or so a new generation becomes sexually mature and has dozens of babies every 8 weeks or so.
It’s a fun hobby because you can actually develop your own morphs in a matter of only years if you want to.
So it’s not necessarily evolution, but pigments developing (or not) due to environmental pressures.
Industrial approaches applied to living beings are just nasty, period.
https://www.vetinst.no/nyheter/fiskehelserapporten-2022-inte...
Not critiquing the technology, just hard to visualize as someone with no knowledge or experience in the field.
I love it.
> technology combines stereo machine vision, advanced software and high-precision laser to target and kill parasites that infect farmed fish.