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Effectiveness of Copper Sulfate and Potassium Permanganate on Channel Catfish Infected with Flavobacterium columnare
Author(s) -
Farmer Bradley D.,
Beck Benjamin H.,
Straus David L.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
north american journal of aquaculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.432
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1548-8454
pISSN - 1522-2055
DOI - 10.1080/15222055.2012.676000
Subject(s) - catfish , potassium permanganate , ictalurus , biology , copper sulfate , zoology , fish farming , fish <actinopterygii> , veterinary medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , aquaculture , fishery , copper , chemistry , medicine , organic chemistry
Copper sulfate (CuSO 4 ) and potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ) were evaluated for their effectiveness to curtail mortality and decrease bacterial load in fish tissues and water in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus infected with Flavobacterium columnare , the causative agent of columnaris. Fish (average size, 16.6 g and 13.7 cm) were obtained from a single culture tank undergoing an epizootic of columnaris and were stocked at a density of 30 fish per tank in each of 12 tanks. The study consisted of three treatments ( n = 4 replicates per treatment): an untreated control group, a CuSO 4 ‐treated group, and a KMnO 4 ‐treated group. Treatment rates were 2.1 mg/L CuSO 4 and 3.0 mg/L KMnO 4 and were applied on three consecutive days at 24‐h intervals. Caudal fin, gill, and liver samples were taken from one fish of each replication 24 h after the last treatment for analysis by quantitative real time PCR. A significant improvement in survival was noted among fish treated with CuSO 4 (72.7%) compared with the control fish (38.5%) and the KMnO 4 ‐treated fish (52.2%). Survival of the KMnO 4 ‐treated fish was not significantly different from the control. Quantitative PCR indicated a significant reduction of bacteria in the water after the first and second treatments of both therapeutants; no difference was detected in fish tissues. Histological analysis of gill samples 24 h after the last treatment indicated that CuSO 4 ‐treated fish exhibited significantly less gill damage than untreated controls and there was no difference in KMnO 4 ‐treated fish. Copper sulfate therapy significantly improved survival, reduced the number of bacteria in the water, and reduced gill pathologies associated with F. columnare infection in channel catfish.