Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) mortality at the National ZoologicalPark: Implications for clinical management

Six out of seven cuttlefish acquired by the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in July 1998 died before 1 November 1998. Postmortem examinations sho wed mantle ulcers, secondary bacterial infections, inanition, and cuttlebon e fractures. The surviving cuttlefish developed a progressive focal mantle ulcer, was treated with oral chloramphenicol intermittently for 9 wk, and m aintained a normal appetite and growth rate until death at 7 mo of age. The National Zoological Park pathology database showed signalments, histories, and causes of mortality of 186 common cuttlefish, each 1-14 mo old, that r eceived gross and histologic examinations; for example, the largest group o f cuttlefish of known sex, age, and body weight at postmortem were 7-9 mo o ld and weighed an average of 376.2 g (males, n = 18) and 299.0 g (females, n = 15). Many cuttlefish had multiple pathologic diagnoses. Significant dis eases included inflammation and secondary bacterial infections, especially gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, respiratory, reproductive, and ophthalmic , and septicemia due to Vibrio spp. or other gram-negative bacteria. Mantle lesions, including ulceration/ dermatitis, abscess/granuloma, necrosis/fib rosis/cellulitis, and laceration/abrasion/erosion, were also identified, al ong with inanition, cuttlebone lesions, and trauma. Mantle lesions were ass ociated with secondary bacterial infections and death. On the basis of this information, if captive cuttlefish behavior creates risk for development o f mantle lesions, administration of antibiotics effective against gram-nega tive bacteria may delay or halt disease progression. Cuttlefish exhibits re quire proper design, husbandry, economic resources, and staffing to minimiz e disease syndromes and mortality.