2. Introduction
โข Fungal diseases in fish are usually external
and almost always secondary in nature.
Precipitating factors include disease caused by
a different pathogen, poor environmental
conditions (water quality), or injury/trauma.
"Fungal" infections are caused by different
groups of organisms including true Fungi and
Oomycetes ("water molds").
3. Contโฆ
โข Saprolegnia is perhaps the most common
"fungal" infection in pet fish, but actually is
classified as a water mold (Oomycetes) and
not a true fungus. This organism usually will
affect areas of previous injury and causes an
external infection.
4. Contโฆ
โข The presence of external parasitic infections
and Columnaris bacteria may be seen with
Saprolegnia, therefore wet mounts are
needed to determine the proper treatment.
Treatment includes environmental
management/removal of inciting cause,
supportive care and chemicals such as
potassium permanganate, formalin, malachite
green and salt.
5. โข Treatment includes environmental
management/removal of inciting cause,
supportive care and chemicals such as
potassium permanganate, formalin, malachite
green and salt.
6. Branchiomycosis
โข Branchiomycosis is a "fungal" infection (also
classified as a water mold ( parasitic or
saprobic organisms living chiefly in fresh water
or moist soil) of the gill tissue caused by
Branchiomyces demigrans and sanguinis.
Clinical signs include increase in opercular rate
and gasping for air at the surface. Gills will
appear discolored with pale patchy areas.
7. Contโฆ
โข Fusarium is a true fungus that causes disease
in pet fish. It has been described more in
marine fish (angelfish, parrotfish, some
sharks). It causes invasive cutaneous lesions
and can progress to systemic disease.
8. Dermatomycosis
โข Caused by Various member of class Oomycete
Symptoms: Appearance of fine hair like tuffs
hanging from the infected areas.
โข The fine become eroded and hemorrhagic at
the latter stage of disease infected eggs tend
to stick together and finally die.
9. Treatment
โข Use copper sulphate solution , potassium
permanganate at the dose of 1g per 10L of
water for 30 minutes (treatment is repeated
every 12 hours for 10 days). Basic Violet K (it is
only effective in the early stages of disease).
10. Prophylaxis
โข Do not take food from ponds where
outbreaks of the disease and fishโs death have
occurred.
โข The disease is best prevented by providing
adequate aquarium maintenance routine and
a balanced diet. Environmental management
is essential: any uneaten food, dead mollusks
and fish should be promptly removed from
the tank.
11. Branchiomycosis
โข Caused by
โข Branchiomyces demigrans and B.sanguinis
(Phycomycetes Archiomycetes)
โข Symptoms : This disease is seen in the blood
vessels of the gill tissue, and it obstructs.
โข The circulation of blood through the gills,
which makes the gills lose their bright red in
color.
12. Treatment
โข Diseased fish can be treated with malachite
green at 0.1mg/l for extended periods of time
or 0.3mg/l for 12 hours.
โข Ponds with enzootic (of a disease regularly
affecting animals in a particular district or at
a particular season) branchiomycosis should
be dried and treated with calcium oxide
(quicklime) or 2 to 3 kg copper sulphate per
hectare.
13. Prophylaxis
โข Strict sanitation and disinfection are essential
for disease control.
โข Dead fishes should be collected and daily and
burned or deeply buried.
โข Transportation of infected fish areas to non-
infected areas must be prevents.
14. GENERAL CONTROL MEASURES FOR FUNGAL
DISEASES
โข Incorporation of medicines like sulfamethanin,
terramycin, erythromycin thiocyanate and
calomel in the food supplied to the fish.
โข . Treatment in Phenoxethol solution (10 to 20cc
of 1% solution diluted in one litre of water).
โข Infected fishes may also be kept alternatively in
bath water, containing 0.5ml of formalin solution
in one litre of water plus ppm of malachite green.
15. โข Fishes kept in 15 to 30gm Nacl solution per litre
of water for half an hour may also be freed from
the fungus. Treatment may be repeated on the
following days and subsequently if required.
5 to 90 minutes bath in potassium permanganate
solution is also recommended. The time and dose,
however, depends upon the hardiness of fish and
should be determined experimentally.
16. Protozoan Diseases in Fishes
โข Whirling Disease:
โข This disease is caused by a myxosporidian
protozoan, Myxosoma cerebralis only in salmon
fishes.
โข The symptoms are pancreatic necrosis, lesions
and disintegration of the cartilaginous skeletal
support of the organ .
โข Rapid tail-chasing type of whirling is often seen
when the fish is frightened or trying to feed.
โข The typical symptoms usually appear at 1-2
months after exposure to the disease.
17. Costiasis Disease
โข This is caused by a mastigophore - Costia
necatrix in culture fishes.
โข This is a common disease in ponds where
fishes live densely in water with a low pH and
poor condition food.
โข The parasites live in large numbers on fish
skin, fins and gills. The symptoms are
appearance of grey blue film on the skin which
turns to red patches in severely affected cases.
18. โข The infected fish becomes weak; loss of
appetite occurs and finally dies.
โข They can be treated with 3% common salt for
10 minute or 1: 2500 formalin solution.
19. Ichthyophthiriasis Disease
โข This caused by a ciliate, Ichthyophthirius
multifilis.
โข This disease is also called as โIchโ or โWhite
Spot Diseaseโ.
โข The young parasites moving in water get
attached to the skin of the fish. They grow
between the epidermis and dermis and after
becoming large in size fall to the bottom of the
pond.
20. โข Infected fish develop small white spots on the
skin and the fins.
โข These parasites attack the gills also. Fish
respond by jumping in the water and rubbing
their body against the objects in the pond.
Respiration gets affected and they finally die.
21. Protozoan diseases in Shellfish
โข Orthione griffenis is an Epicaridean isopoda
parasite that is found on the gill chamber of
Upogebia mud shrimp.
โข Mud blister worms belong to a larger group of
segmented worms, collectively known as
polychaetes. โPolyโ means many and โchaeteโ
means bristles in ancient Greek.
โข Mud blister worms are one of many species that
burrow into the shells of animals like oysters,
abalone and scallops, where they spend their
entire adult life.
