Ornamental fish goldfish,Carassius auratusand related parasites in three districts of West Bengal, India

Abstract

The lucrative business of ornamental fish culture in West Bengal (Mainly in three districts-Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas) are facing loses due to the invasion of different ecto- and endo-parasites. The present study shows that the ornamental fish (Goldfish - Carassius auratus) are mainly affected with ecto-parasites like Ichthyophthirius sp., Dactylogyrus sp., Gyrodactylus sp., Argulus sp. and endo-parasites like Procamallanus sp. and Cucullanus sp. The intensity of infection is high in case of Ichthyophthirius sp. and the intensity of the infection is high in summer months when the temperature is high or moderately high. In cooler months the intensity of the infection is lower as because the parasites are unable to breed or scarcity of food particles.

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ISSN 2229–5186
Vol 2 / Issue 1 / January-March 2011
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Vol. 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Mar 2011Chronicles of Young Scientists
 51 
Ornamental fish goldfish, Carassius auratus and related
parasites in three districts of West Bengal, India
Abstract
The lucrative business of ornamental fish culture in West Bengal (Mainly in three districts-Howrah, North and
South 24 Parganas) are facing loses due to the invasion of different ecto- and endo-parasites. The present
study shows that the ornamental fish (Goldfish – Carassius auratus) are mainly affected with ecto-parasites
like Ichthyophthirius sp., Dactylogyrus sp., Gyrodactylus sp., Argulus sp. and endo-parasites like Procamallanus
sp. and Cucullanus sp. The intensity of infection is high in case of Ichthyophthirius sp. and the intensity of the
infection is high in summer months when the temperature is high or moderately high. In cooler months the
intensity of the infection is lower as because the parasites are unable to breed or scarcity of food particles.
Key words:
Carassius auratus, fish parasites, goldfish, intensity of infection, ornamental fish
Introduction
There is a tremendous scope for the aquarium fishes of West
Bengal, India. Three districts of West Bengal, viz. Howrah,
North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas play pioneer role
in aquarium fish production in the country. By culturing
imported exotic fishes locally, or the colorful resources of
indigenous fishes, India not only earns the foreign exchange,
but also enters into the world market of ornamental fishes.
The ornamental fish trade plays an important role for
socioeconomic upliftment of the backward class and females
in our country with little investment of money. Catching,
keeping, breeding of ornamental fishes for the aquaria
is a good economic activity which has not so far properly
realized, hence not properly organized in India. The business
has been found to be a very profitable economic activity and
deserves the scientific study and development. The business
can either be the main or subsidiary economic activity to
earn money for the culturists. The varieties of indigenous
fishes are increasing the demand of Indian ornamental
fishes in foreign countries. However, the business is not
without risk. The culturist cannot supply the fishes as per
demands because of problems due to the diseases. A huge
loss of stocked fish often occurs.
The aim of the present study provides relevant information
of various pathogens that invade the ornamental fish in
various fish farms of three districts of West Bengal, India.
When the fish suffer from a disease they are sometimes
treated rapidly and the real causative agent cannot be
observed. In West Bengal, due to the lack of information
about the ornamental fish parasitic diseases and their proper
treatment, the culturists suffer lots of loses every year and
fully commercialization of the trade is not yet done.
Materials and Methods
During the period of March 2009 to March 2010, around
50 farms of three districts (Howrah, North 24 Parganas
and South 24 Parganas) were surveyed and culturists
interviewed to get information about the fish pathogens
Mukti Chanda, Monjit Paul, Joydev Maity1, Gadadhar Dash2,
Supriya Sen Gupta, Bidhan Chandra Patra3
Department of Industrial Fish and Fisheries, Asutosh College,
Kolkata, 1Department of Aquaculture Management and Technology,
2Department of Aquatic Animal Health, Faculty of Fishery Science,
West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata,
3Department of Zoology, Vidyasagar University,
Midnapore, West Bengal, India
Address for correspondence:
Ms. Mukti Chanda
Department of Industrial Fish and Fisheries, Asutosh College,
92, S.P. Mookerjee Road, Kolkata - 700 026, India.
E-mail: muktichanda@gmail.com
Short Communication
Access this article online
Website:
http://www.cysonline.org
Quick Response Code
DOI:
10.4103/2229-5186.79351

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Vol. 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Mar 2011
Chronicles of Young Scientists
 52 
and diseases. During this period, about 159 species of
goldfish, Carassius auratus were collected and examined to
find out the pathogens. To study the pathogens, the fish
were killed; the body mucus and pieces of organs were
taken in the slide with a drop of 0.65% saline solution for
microscopic observation. The external surface of the fish
was examined thoroughly using dissecting microscope. The
fins, nostrils, operculum and buccal cavity were examined
for external parasites (Monogeneans, crustaceans). Gills
were examined completely under a dissecting microscope.
The smears of the gills were examined under the
microscope. Pieces of gills were treated with 4% formalin,
shaken and the sediment examined under a microscope.
Small fish were placed in containers of 4% formalin,
shaken and the sediment examined for parasites. The
sample of fish species was opened up dorsoventrally and
the internal organs examined for the endo-parasites. The
entire digestive system was taken in a petri dish with
physiological saline solution (0.65%). The gut was divided
into sections and each section examined for parasites. The
gonads, liver, heart, gall bladder and pericardial cavity were
examined for parasites. The number of parasites per fish
and site of infection were noted. Drawings of the parasites
were made and identification done using appropriate keys
reported by Yagamuti, Frimeth, Hoffman and Arthur and
Abu Tweb.[1-4]
The intensity of infection with different parasites in
different months of the study period was observed. The
intensity of the parasites infected to the fish mostly was
also observed during the study period. Simultaneously, the
temperature was recorded in different months and average
temperature of the months was recorded.
Results
Of the 159 fish specimens examined, 123 (77.36%) were
found to be infected with different parasites. The survey
showed that the fish were mainly affected with ecto-
parasites like Ichthyophthirius sp. (65%), Gyrodactylus
sp. (40%), Dactylogyrus sp. (37%), Argulus sp. (11%) and
endo-parasites like Nematode - Procamallanus sp. (61%),
Cucullanus sp. (39%) [Table 1]. All internal parasites were
found from the intestine of the host. The summery of the
fish examined and their infection details are given in the
Table 1.
The interview of the farmers also concluded that they
faced the white spot problems in skin (Ichthyophthirius sp.)
mostly in all season, and the value of the fishes decreased
if the white spots in the skin appeared. Another problem
they faced was the inadequate growth rate of fishes due to
the intestinal parasites. The occurrences of the pathogens
were high in summer and autumn months and low in winter
months. Monthly prevalence of Ichthyophthirius sp. varied
from 10 to 71.1%. Overall, the infection was low in the
months of November, December, January and February
i.e., 12, 10, 11 and 13%, respectively. Nevertheless, the
intensity was suddenly increased in March (59.3%), and
high in August (71.1%). Gyrodactylus sp. showed higher
intensity in the month of October (76%), and lower in the
months of December and January (4 and 7%). Dactylogyrus
sp. showed its high intensity in the month of October (72%)
same as Gyrodactylus sp. and low in the months of January
Chanda, et al.: Parasites of Carassius auratus (Goldfish), in three districts of West Bengal, India
Table 2: Intensity of infection of different parasites in different months (during the period of March 2009 to March
2010) and average temperature in the respective months
MonthsTemperature
(˚C)
%%
March3262.154.0
April3460.3 57.4
May 34 61.054.2
June3064.4 60.3
July30 70.660.0
August2971.172.0
September 2969.0 71.2
October2856.376.0
November 2312.071.2
December19 10.0 04.0
January1911.007.0
February2513.012.0
March3359.329.3
Ichthyophthirius Gyrodactylus Dactylogyrus
%
19.0
32.0
51.2
50.3
60.3
65.0
70.1
72.0
69.5
00.0
02.0
07.0
20.0
Argulus
%
34.3
41.7
50.2
56.0
49.0
48.7
45.2
48.8
20.0
04.0
04.5
08.3
21.1
Procamallanus
%
57.9
60.1
69.2
73.0
68.0
72.0
61.9
58.3
59.0
48.2
34.0
21.0
41.4
Cucullanus
%
51.3
59.4
59.0
69.0
69.0
74.0
64.4
62.0
51.3
42.0
30.1
26.2
47.0
Table 1: Total intensity of the infection of different
parasites (during the period of March 2009 to 2010)
and location of the infection
Parasites Infection %
Ichthyophthirius sp.
Gyrodactylus sp.
Dactylogyrus sp.
Argulus sp.
Procamallanus sp.
Cucullanus sp.
Location
Skin and gill
Skin and fins
Gill
Gill and skin
Intestine
Intestine
45
20
17
11
61
39

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Vol. 2 | Issue 1 | Jan-Mar 2011Chronicles of Young Scientists
 53 
and February (0 and 2%). Argulus sp. showed high intensity
in the months of June and July (56 and 49%) and low in the
month of December (4%). The intensity of the Nematode –
Procamallanus sp. was high in the months of June, July and
August (73, 68 and 72%, respectively) and low in January
and February (34 and 21%, respectively). Nematode –
Cucullanus sp. showed its highest intensity in the month of
August (74.0%) and lowest in the months of January and
February (30.1 and 26.2%, respectively) [Table 2].
Discussion
This preliminary investigation of the parasitofauna of
ornamental fish in three districts showed 77.36% infection
rate. This is rather very low as compared to other similar
work of Das and Nandi,[5] where they found 143 species of
Protozoa have been dealt with from 65 species of fish hosts
and 14 species of Cestoda and 22 species of Nematoda are
recorded from 15 and 17 species of fishes, respectively. The
survey showed that the intensity of Ichthyophthirius sp. is
high in all season except in winter season. Schäperclaus[6]
reported that the Ichthyophthirius is the most important
pathogenic parasites of the fish. Mortality rate of infected
fish by Ichthyophthiriasis could reach almost 100%.
Ichthyophthiriasis outbreaks occur during the summer months
when temperatures are at the peak reported by Ogut.[7]
Gyrodactylus sp. infection is high mainly in the autumn
with moderate temperature and low in the winter season.
The similar work of Davioda et al.[8] showed the intensity
of Dactylogyrus was high in moderate high-temperature
months than cooler months. King et al.[9] observed that the
intensity of Gyrodactylus sp. was high in warm aquarium
waters in warmer months. The report also concluded that
at the higher temperature, the parasite was capable of
reproducing on host. Anderson[10] reported the moderate
temperature is suitable for the growth of Gyrodactylus sp.
Gill fluke (Dactylogyrus sp.) infection is commonly seen in
all farms with infection rates varying from 60% to 90% of
fish. The highest mortality due to gill fluke is manifested
during the first week after stocking. The incidence of visible
infections or disease in spawn and early fry at the hatcheries
is low, except for gas bubble disease, which is probably due
to high ammonia level and eutrophic conditions reported
by Lakra and Singh.[11] As it is seen, the intensity of the
species was highest in summers and autumns. It decreased
between late autumn and winter reported by Ozturk.[12] The
maximum intensity of the Dactylogyrus sp. was recorded
high with highest temperature by Tekin-Özan.[13] Argulus
sp. showed its intensity high in higher temperature and
gradually the intensity of infection decreases with the
fall of temperature in cooler months. The study has been
supported by Walker.[14] where the study showed that the
intensity of infection with Argulus sp. is dependent on
temperature. Higher temperature cause higher intensity
of infection than cooler temperature. The study had also
shown that development time of the egg stages is heavily
dependent upon the temperature of surrounding water
with development being more rapid at higher temperatures.
Argulus foliaceus eggs for example hatch after just 8 days at
26˚C reported or after several months for eggs deposited
at temperature below 10˚C reported by Lester and Roubal,
Mikheev et al.[15,16] Edema et al.[17], Okaka[18] and Khalil[19]
reported that Nematode parasites were found to infect
most fish species. The parasites reported in this study
(Procamallanus sp., Cucullanus barbi and Spinitectus sp.).
Okaka and Omoigberale[20] recorded nematodes as the most
common parasite, infecting 18.6% of the fish population.
According to Ginetsinskaya[21] and Lacerda[22] the number
of hosts did not permit seasonal analyses, a higher number
of endo-parasites were observed in May and June. The
annual cycles and reproductive periods of fish parasites
are frequently related to the hydrological variation of the
habitat of the host, as well as to the fluctuations in the
abundance of plankton and benthic organisms and fish that
feed on them.
It was concluded that the present study has shown the
intensity of the infection of different parasites are low in
cooler months, and intensity increases with the temperature
in summer and autumn months, which is in contrast to the
trend observed here. Interviews from the different culturist
also showed that the problems of different parasitic
diseases are low in intensity in cooler months. The warmer
months provide better environment for the breeding of fish
parasites, and foods for them.
Acknowledgment
The authors are thankful to the Department Aquaculture
Management and Technology, Vidyasagar University, West
Midnapore and Department of Industrial Fish and Fisheries,
Department of Zoology, Asutosh College, Kolkata.
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How to cite this article: Chanda M, Paul M, Maity J, Dash G, Gupta SS, Patra
BC. Ornamental fish goldfish,Carassius auratusand related parasites in three
districts of West Bengal, India. Chron Young Sci 2011;2:51-4.
Source of Support: Nil, Conflict of Interest: None declared
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