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Obtaining a count of erythrocytes in fish blood is a useful tool because of the association of abnormal red blood cell counts with disease conditions. 

There is a great deal of variation between laboratories in the procedures employed to carry out blood cell counts.  Diluting solutions which may be used include Hendricks diluting solution  (1:200 dilution of blood), and formal citrate solution (1:200 dilution of blood).

Blaxhall and Daisley’s method for  red blood cell counts outlined here is widely used.  The same method may be used to carry out leucocyte counts, although the procedure employed for counting and calculating occurrence of the cells is different.

Make a 1:50 dilution of blood in Dacies fluid.

Definitions

DACIES FLUID:

Formaldehyde:                       10 ml

Trisodium citrate:                 31.3g

Brilliant cresyl Blue:            1.0g

Distilled water                       1 litre