What to test for?

[guidofatherof5]

I need your advice. Since I will be taking the Ocean perch that caused my problem out to be tested I need to be sure I test for the right or at least as close to the right contaminants. The fish only needed 10 minutes of thaw time in cold water. The vaccuum packed fillet stayed sealed. The fish smelled, felt and cut like any other fish I have served.
First, let me describe the symtoms suffered by my scrubs:
Feeding went very well. Most everyone ate and showed no signs that the fish had a problem. I left for about 1 1/2 hours so I don't know how soon the problems started. When I arrived home and look in the aquarium, some snakes were regurgitating, others were rolling and some were in a violant convulsion. Once they regurgitated they appeared normal. The ones that didn't throw-up sat coiled and looked lifeless. I only noticed respiration(no tongue flicking). When I tried to move them, they made no attempts to move or get away on there own. Of these 3, Rocky seemed the worst. He would appear normal and would then go into a convulsion(ridged, mouth open, then back arching. No toogue flicking and very shallow respiration). This would last 1-2 minutes and then he would seem fine. This cycled for approximately 1 hour. He then seemed fine and I thought thing were okay. I sleep in the livingroom to keep an eye on them. Shortly after turning out the lights I heard the sounds of a possible fight in the enclosure. It was Rocky having another convulsion in his hide box. This occured 5 more times during the night. By 9am the next morning he had been fine for over 3 hours. I checked on him throughout the day and he was okay. The next morning my daughter checked on him first and found him close to death. Mouth open arched, sunken stomach. During all these episodes he had a bad odor. One that I had never smelled before. The closest thing I could compair it to would be decaying flesh(one of the bad skills I aquired as a Deputy).
I want to do the right tests and not waste my money. Any help with suggestions of what to check for would be great. Bacterial, Chemical, Heavy metals? I need specific things to test for. Im going to have there common bacterial screen done. This doesn't include Staphylococcus, ecoli or Salmonella. For the heavy metals I'm thinking about having Mercury and lead tested but am not sure about Chromium and zinc. I have no idea what chemical compounds to test for. The fish was wild caught, processed and packaged in China. Thanks for your time.

[infernalis]

Steve, I'm only going on a common sense assumption (and somewhat educated)

Lets say it was bacterial, Bacteria cause infection, infections are a lasting thing, meaning they would have remained sick while the immunity systems went to work.

I'd be more inclined to lean in the direction of chemicals or heavy metals.

Now again I'd have to lean more toward chemicals, heavy metal poisoning takes place slowly as the pathogen builds in the liver.

You can drink a bottle of mercury and it will take a while to make you sick, however if you drank a sip of bleach, you'd be vomiting right away.

so there you have it, My biology education is limited, maybe some of our "professor types" can lend additional insights.

Good luck, and please keep us in the loop.

[Garter_Gertie]

Oh, gods... HOW iS Rocky right now? I'm beside myself with worry...

YOU GO, GUIDO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bless you for what you're doing.

Give Rocky a hug and kisss from all us here....
OH! I HOPE he makes it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[guidofatherof5]

Sorry to say I had to put Rocky down on Monday. He took a very turn for the worse. It was the only thing I could do. I'm still struggling with it since my feeding him the Perch caused his death. I know there more to it than that but I did start this problem. Thanks for you concern for Rocky. He's better off now.

[count dewclaw]

Steve, bacterial food poisoning can hit hard and fast, especially if the bacteria produced toxins. I would definitely test for bacteria. We don't know what the conditions are like at the processing plant (for example - how do they "gut" the fish?)...lots of opportunities for bacteria to grow if not processed correctly. How does the lab test for bacteria? Do they grow a bacterial culture from a sample of the fish? Do they check for gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria?

As far as bacterial infections lasting longer, that is often the case. However, since they regurgitated the fish, they could have gotten rid of most of the bacteria/toxins before it was absorbed into their systems.

[adamanteus]

I really don't know.... but the rapid onset of the symptoms suggests (to me) some kind of chemical poisoning.... the fish was processed in some way? It's a bummer, Steve. You just never know what you're buying these days.