The present investigation was on occurrence on different Parasite founds in 38 different cat fishes of River Siang. The present study on helminth parasite of cat fisheswith respect to length and weight revealed that Cestode infection was the highest in all fish sample of the fish species. The high worm burden was located in the gut mainly the intestine of the fish. Also some eggs were detected in the liver of two host fishes. In this study 38 specimen fishes were examined which contained both male and female specimens. Wallagoattuspecimen shows highest prevalence of about 100% than the other cat fishes specimens.

1. IJSRD - International Journal for Scientific Research & Development| Vol. 2, Issue 07, 2014 | ISSN (online): 2321-0613
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A Report on Prevalence, Abundance and Intensity of Fish Parasites in
Cat Fishes of River Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, India
Biplab Kumar Das1
HiranyaChamuah Saikia2
Anup Kumar Doley3
1
PG Student 2
Professor and Head of Department
1
Department of Life Science and Bioinformatics 2,3
Department of Zoology
1
Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India 2
Dhemaji College, Dhemaji, Assam, India 3
Silapathar Science
College, Silapathar, Assam, India
Abstract— The present investigation was on occurrence on
different Parasite founds in 38 different cat fishes of River
Siang. The present study on helminth parasite of cat
fisheswith respect to length and weight revealed that
Cestode infection was the highest in all fish sample of the
fish species. The high worm burden was located in the gut
mainly the intestine of the fish. Also some eggs were
detected in the liver of two host fishes. In this study 38
specimen fishes were examined which contained both male
and female specimens. Wallagoattuspecimen shows highest
prevalence of about 100% than the other cat fishes
specimens.
Key words: Cat fishes, Helminth Parasite, Cestode,
RiverSiang
I. INTRODUCTION
Fish is an excellent source of food. Its flesh is nutritionally
equivalent to meat in protein contents, low in saturated fats
and high in essential mineral and vitamins. To obtain
healthy and quality meat fish, it is necessary that the fish
should be free from all types of infection like viral, bacterial
and parasitic. Helminths are found in all animals including
fish throughout the world [8].Parasites in fish are a natural
occurrence and common. Parasites can provide information
about host population ecology. In fisheries biology, for
example, parasite communities can be used to distinguish
distinct populations of the same fish species co-inhabiting a
region. Additionally, parasites possess a variety of
specialized traits and life-history strategies that enable them
to colonize hosts. The parasitic infection is sometime very
fatal and cause high mortalities when their life cycles are
well supported by intermediate hosts. The helminth parasites
mainly found in freshwater fishes are trematodes, cestodes,
acanthocephalans and nematodes that complete their life
cycles through intermediate hosts like snails and piscivorous
birds [1, 3,8].The need to assess the parasitic infection arises
because the fish suffering from parasitic infection and/or
disease result into severe damage to fishery industry. For
successful prevention and elimination of such parasitic
infection, it is extremely important to achieve early and
correct data about the prevalence and intensity of a
particular parasitic infection in specific group of fishes with
well-established mode of infection including the larval stage
of parasite for which that fish constitute the final host [6].
II. STUDY SITE
The River Siang, is largest river of Brahmaputra river
system, originates from ChemaYungdung Glacier near Kubi
at 5150 m in Tibet. In Tibet it is popularly known as Tsang-
Po, flows in West–East direction. After traversing a distance
of about 1625 km river in Tibet and then it takes a turn in
south direction, enters the territory of India near Tuting in
the Upper Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh and flows 58
km through North–South direction in East Siang district
towards Assam and finally it merges with Lohit and Dibang
in Assam and it becomes the mighty River Brahmaputra
[10].
Fig. 1: Showing the Location of Siang River in Arunachal
Pradesh
III. METHODOLOGY
A sample of 38 fishes comprising 10 specimen of
Heteropneustes fossilis,16 specimen ofMystusvittatus, 2
specimen of Wallago attu,6 specimen of
Eutropiichthysvacha, and 4 specimen of Clariasbatrachus
and Separataaorwere obtained from different location of the
Siang River [13].
Then the fishes were brought into the laboratory
and the length and weight of each fish were recorded and
also record the sex of the host. Fish were dissected one by
one exposing their visceral organs and, the digestive glands
are taken out with the help of forceps and kept in the
petriplates containing water. The stomach and intestine were
cut open lengthwise as to expose the lumen and observed
carefully for the presence of helminth parasite. The parasites
recovered were kept in saline water for sometimes so that
the impurities if present can be washed away in saline
solution. For preservation following chemicals were used -
for nematode 70% alcohol is applied, for acanthocephalan
AFA is applied and for cestode 5% formalin is applied.
Finally, the collected parasites were observed under
microscope. Then the permanent slides were prepared after
being dehydrated in step wise procedure for cestodes and
trematodes.

2. A Report on Prevalence, Abundance and Intensity of Fish Parasites in Cat Fishes of River Siang in Arunachal Pradesh, India
(IJSRD/Vol. 2/Issue 07/2014/054)
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IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
From the sample of 10 specimens of Heteropneustesfossilis,
only (50%) were found infected .The total numbers of 5
cestodes and 1 acanthocephalans were obtained from 5
fishes. Out of 4 specimen of Clariasbatrachus, only 2 (50%)
were found infected and the number of 6 cestodes were
obtained from 2 fishes. From 2 specimens of Wallagoattuall
are found infected with a total no of 9 nematodes. And out
of 6 specimen of Eutropichthysvacha , 14 specimen of
Mystusvittatusand 1 specimen of Sperataaor ,no
parasite(0%) were found. Fig II shows the number of
helminth parasites found in the gut of some cat fishes. Fig
III shows the prevalence of helminth parasites. Fig IV shows
the abundance and means intensity of helminth parasite in
relation to the sex of the host.
In this study of helminth parasite found in catfishes
are generally cestode and nematode but acanthocephalan is
rare and no trematode is found and parasites are found in
catfish are generally more in female. The parasite found in
catfish is very much depends on the intermediate host such
as piscivorous birds for the spread of cestode infection [13,
14]. The hygienic conditions are also very important for
healthy environment where fish are raised. The major
factors determining the fish parasite fauna as well as
intensity and prevalence of infestation in aquatic
environments can be summarized as being the diet of the
host, life span of the host, the motility of the host throughout
its life including the variety of habitats it encounters, its
population density and the size attained, with large hosts
providing more habitats suitable for parasites that small ones
[8, 13, 14]. In this study, the host of intermediate length and
weight were found to be more infected than the host of
smaller length.
Fig. 2: Different Helminth parasite found in some catfishes
of River Siang
Fig. 3: Prevalence (%) of Helminth parasite infection in
catfishes of River Siang
Fig. 4: Abundance and Mean Intensity of Helminth parasite
infection in catfishes of River Siang
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