Abstract
In the present work Trichodina reticulata and T. nobilis (Ciliophora: Trichodinidae) are morphologically characterised from ornamental freshwater fish culture in the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The prevalence of infection and a list of comparative measurements are discussed. We examined "southern platyfish" Xiphophorus maculatus (n = 35), "goldfish" Carassius auratus (n = 31), "guppy" Poecilia reticulata (n = 20), "sailfin molly" Poecilia latipinna (n = 6), "beta" Betta splendens (n = 2) and "spotted headstander" Chilodus punctatus (n = 1). After being anesthetised in a benzocaine solution, fishes were examined for parasitological evaluation. A total of 51.57% fishes were parasitised by Trichodina spp. Carassius auratus was the most parasitised species, followed by X. maculatus and P. reticulata. Beta splendens, C. punctatus and P. latipinna were not parasitised by any trichodinid species. Two species of Trichodina were collected from the skin of fish: T. nobilis was found in C. auratus, P. reticulata and X. maculatus and T. reticulata was only observed in C. auratus. The importance of adequate handling in ornamental fish culture are also discussed.
Highlights
Ornamental fish culture in Brazil has shown a rapid development in the last years (Piazza et al, 2006)
Trichodina spp. from ornamental fish were reported in Paracheirodon axelrodi (Ferraz, 1999), Xiphophorus helleri and Xiphophorus maculatus (Garcia et al, 2009)
Fish species examined in this study were: “southern platyfish” Xiphophorus maculatus (n = 35), “goldfish” Carassius auratus (n = 31), “guppy” Poecilia reticulata (n = 20), “sailfin molly” Poecilia latipinna (n = 6), “beta” Betta splendens (n = 2) and “spotted headstander” Chilodus punctatus (n = 1)
Summary
Ornamental fish culture in Brazil has shown a rapid development in the last years (Piazza et al, 2006). As a function of the intensive culture, many parasitic and infectious diseases have emerged thereby causing serious damage to fish production (Kim et al, 2002). Under inadequate handling such as high content of organic matter, depletion of dissolved oxygen, water temperature alterations, nutritional deficiency and the lack of quarantine of introduced fish in fish farms, trichodinids find adequate substrate to reproduce causing damage to fish and economic losses (Moraes and Martins, 2004). Trichodina spp. from ornamental fish were reported in Paracheirodon axelrodi (Ferraz, 1999), Xiphophorus helleri and Xiphophorus maculatus (Garcia et al, 2009). Prevalence and a list of comparative measurements are reported
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