Abstract
This study evaluated the occurrence of parasitic infections in the "pacu" fish Piaractus mesopotamicus and the "patinga" hybrid (P. mesopotamicus x Piaractus brachypomus) in the northwest of São Paulo State, Brazil. Fish from the following three fish farms were evaluated every two months: A, a hatchery and larviculture farm (n = 16 pacu / n = 19 patinga), B, a growout farm (n = 35 patinga) and C, a fee-fishing property (n = 28 pacu / n = 7 patinga). Thirty-five fish from each property were collected from February 2010 to February 2011 and subjected to parasitological analysis. The parasites found were the following: Mymarothecium viatorum, Anacanthorus penilabiatus, Notozothecium janauachensis (Dactylogyridae, Monogenea), Trichodina spp., Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Chilodonella sp. (Protozoa), Myxobolus spp., Henneguya spp. (Myxozoa), Rondonia rondoni, Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda), and Dolops carvalhoi (Crustacea). Of the fish examined, 62.9% from "A" and 100% from "B" and "C" were infested with at least one parasite species. Pacu fish (n = 44) showed a higher susceptibility to Anacanthorus penilabiatus infestations, whereas patinga (n = 61) were more susceptible to Mymarothecium viatorum (p < 0.05). Appropriate fish handling (nutrition, transport and storage), in conjunction with monitoring of water quality, can reduce the stress to which the farmed fish are exposed and is essential for pathogen control.
Highlights
The significant increase in aquaculture in Brazil and around the world has increased the importance of studies of parasites and other pathogens of aquatic organisms, especially in those hosts that have the potential for production and sale (LUQUE, 2004)
This study evaluated the occurrence of parasitic infections in the “pacu” fish Piaractus mesopotamicus and the “patinga” hybrid (P. mesopotamicus x Piaractus brachypomus) in the northwest of São Paulo State, Brazil
During the parasitological analysis of fish from these three properties, we found the following parasites: Mymarothecium viatorum (CHIBB: 068L, 069L, 070L); Anacanthorus penilabiatus (CHIBB: 071L, 072L, 073L); Notozothecium janauachensis (CHIBB: 074L) (Dactylogyridae); third stage larvae (L3) of the anisakid nematode Contracaecum sp. (CHIBB 6986) and adults of the nematode Rondonia rondoni (CHIBB 6988); the ciliate protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis; Chilodonella sp.; Trichodina spp.; myxosporidans Henneguya spp. and Myxobolus spp.; and the branchiura crustacean Dolops carvalhoi (CHIBB 6987)
Summary
The significant increase in aquaculture in Brazil and around the world has increased the importance of studies of parasites and other pathogens of aquatic organisms, especially in those hosts that have the potential for production and sale (LUQUE, 2004). The monitoring of parasites and other fish pathogens is an important part of prophylactic management both for production and for public health, especially due to the zoonotic potential of some of these organisms (PAVANELLI et al, 2008). Interspecific hybridisation has been used in fish farms to produce animals with better performance than the parental species (hybrid vigour), including improvements in characteristics such as better meat quality, lower feed conversion ratio, rapid growth and resistance to pathogens. Few studies have been carried out to determine whether hybrids have such desirable characteristics compared to the parental species, which may influence the choice of species in production
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