Denver Zoo’s High-Tech Imaging Helps Ailing Angelfish

Have you ever seen a fish get a CT scan? Here at Denver Zoo, our animal health and care teams are dedicated to ensuring every single one of our animals receives the care they need to thrive! When animal care specialists in Tropical Discovery noticed a French angelfish was experiencing buoyancy issues and swimming abnormally, they brought the fish to our new Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital for an exam. Our veterinary medicine teams sedated the fish and ran water intermittently over its gills while they examined the fish.

After performing a CT scan and ultrasound, they found that the fish had enteritis (inflamed intestines). This resulted in increased intestinal gas that was affecting its buoyancy. The angelfish was treated with a course of antibiotics that resolved the enteritis, is now doing much better, and can be found swimming in its Tropical Discovery habitat!

We at Denver Zoo pride ourselves on delivering extraordinary veterinary care to our 3,000 animals and recruiting four of only 275 certified zoological veterinarians in the world. Your support is what enables us to offer this high level of care. You can discover ways to make an impact, now and in the future, by contacting Josie Stewart at 720.337.1463 or jstewart@denverzoo.org.