CHAPTER 6.

PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF FISH DISEASE

Introduction
Fish diseases affect survival and growth rates of fish. Given that drug treatments
are expensive, that fish farmers often suffer economic losses due to fish diseases.

To alleviate losses, it is crucial to take prevention to reduce pathogen levels in

water bodies through health management practices, such as maintaining water
quality and strengthen the natural resistance of the fish stock.

Regular monitoring health is an effective way to identify disease causes, to

develop appropriate urgent treatments action. One major cause of fish dead when
there are not enough resources to confront the contagious diseases, and delay to
provide correction action timely against pathogen. Therefore treatment should be
given to infected fish promptly.
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Like all other organisms, fish also get sick and is affected by various kinds of
diseases and pests, especially in the fish farming culture, resulting in huge
losses to the producers. Some of the diseases are epidemic and contagious and
therefore, special precautions are needed to prevent them.

Therefore, some basic theoretical knowledge about the common diseases and
their management practices is essential for the growers to take prevention,
control and to treat the diseases.

This knowledge is especially needed for producers who are promoting fish
farming as an income generating program among the people.

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Fishes are infected by many disease causing organisms such as virus, bacteria,
fungi, protozoa, nematodes, and internal parasites like tape worm, crustaceans
etc. Besides these, there are problems caused by harmful predators and non-
infectious diseases.

In this chapter we will tried to enumerate the different organisms causing

diseases to the fish, just to give an idea of the various sources and causes,
control and treatment of diseases.

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6.1. Causes of fish diseases
There are three major causes of fish diseases:
 Presence of environmental pathogens
 Low resistance of the fish stock
 Unsatisfactory water environment

Pathogens exist in water bodies, yet healthy fish have adequate resistance to withstand to
pathogenic infection diseases.

However, when pathogen level of a water body rises due to external factors, the natural
resistance of the fish cannot cope with the increased pathogens, the fish become vulnerable
to pathogenic infection diseases.

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In addition, environmental factors from the changes in water quality resulting
in poor health and low resistance of fish stock. The risks of pathogenic
infection and fish diseases or deaths are heightened.

6.2. Regular disease prevention and control practices

To prevent and control fish diseases, we should:-

Maintain a good culture environment

Prevent the deterioration of water environment
Use hygienic and nutritious fish feed to boost resistance of the fish stock
Minimise the chance of introducing pathogens to the water body.
Use appropriate pharmaceutical treatments

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6.2.1. How can we prevent the water environment from deteriorating?

Do not over-feed with by excessive organic matters that causes

contamination depositing on the pond bottom.

Sanitation and hygienic practices employed to remove unwanted feeding

debris caused by excessive feeding matters depositing on the pond
bottom.

Remove fouling organisms that are dead regularly, so that maintain a

biosecurity practices on culture environment management.

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6.2.2. How to boost resistance of fish under culture?
Maintain a suitable stocking density. A crowded culture environment
increases the risk of disease infection and makes the fish nervous. Fish
knocking against each other often get surface wounds and may develop
diseases as a result.
Use a winnowing basket without knots to reduce the risk of infection caused
by surface wounds.
Avoid feeding the stock with trash feeds that cannot provide balanced
nutrition. This type of feed lessens the nature resistance of fish and makes
them more vulnerable to pathogenic infection.
Use dry pellet feed which is hygienic, nutritious and low in bacteria. Dry
pellet feed added with vitamins and minerals can further strengthen fish
immunity. 7
6.2.3. How to reduce pathogens in the water body?

Disinfect fish ponds and culture gear regularly keep your fish farm clean.

Store the dry pellet feed properly, keep pellets in a cool, dry and covered
place to prevent massive bacterial growth.

Store trash fish discarded, unwanted, or worthless material or objects

properly. Pathogens may proliferate in improperly preserve trash fish. Such
feed may introduce large quantities of pathogens to the water. Never use
trash fish and discarded material that are not clean or fresh.

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Disinfect fertilised fry properly, fry may be infected by pathogens that are
present in their parents. treat new fry with a sterilising agent or potassium
permanganate prior to stocking.

Purchase farmers should purchase quality healthy fry-fish with health

certificates from reputable suppliers.

Contact with fry health inspection centers. Fish producers should submit fry
samples to Fisheries Department for free tests on pathogens and harmful
substances before placing purchase orders.

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Table 1: Disinfection of fish farms and culture gear
Item Method
Fish pond bottom Drain the pond ever production cycle.
After drain, drying the pond for 3 weeks using a sterilising
agent to be sprinkle with quick lime 500 g per square meter.
Sun dry for another week before filling with water.
Culture equipment, gear, Disinfect with electric steam pressure with disinfectant agents,
tanks and pipes cleaning powder for about 5 minutes.
Immerse in 1:4,000 formaldehyde (i.e. litter of formaldehyde
solution for every 4000 litter of water) for about 1 hourand
rinse thoroughly with water.
Immerse in 1:2,000 domestic bleach or a cleaning powder
obtained from calcium hydroxide and chlorine. (i.e. 500ml of
bleach for 1 ton of water) for about 3 hours, then neutralise
with sodium bicarbonate and rinse thoroughly with water.10
6.3. Monitoring Fish Disease

While precautions should be taken to prevent diseases, close monitoring

of disease is equally important. It is an effective way to detect sick fish
and identify the cause of disease at an early stage, so that appropriate
treatment can be given and transmittable fish disease can be controlled.
For this reason, the institution of fish organization encourages fish
farmers to join the Fish Health Inspection Programme and conduct a
simple health check on their fish stocks every day.

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6.3.1. Fish Health Inspection Programme

institution of fish organization fish culture zones and fish ponds regularly
to provide free fish health inspections and to introduce fish disease
prevention practices. Services of this programme include:

Full physical examination

Tests for bacteria, parasites and viruses
On-site demonstration of water quality test and fish disease prevention
measures
Introduction of simple fish health inspection routine
Advice on good fish farm management
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6.3.2. How to inspect the health of your fish stock
Fish farmers should carry out a simple health inspection routine every day. To begin
with, observe fish behaviour (stage one). See if the fish are reducing feed intake or
showing abnormal swimming patterns. If you are certain that the abnormal
behaviour is not connected with environmental factors, carry out a detailed health
inspection (stage two).
Stage One:- Observe fish behaviour

Feed Intake Reduced feed intake is the first sign of many fish diseases. Fish
farmers should therefore keep daily feeding records to ensure they have sufficient
information to compare general intake trends.

Abnormal swimming patterns Examples are fish lying flat, rubbing against the
bottom or net cage edges, jumping out of the water, circling in water or losing
buoyancy/ balance. All these may be signs of disease. 13
 Differentiating between sick and healthy fish
Sick Fish Healthy Fish
Swimming slowly; sluggish Swimming actively;
Activity response sharp and responsive
Body Colour Dull, dark or discoloured Bright and glossy
Body Surface White layered patches Intact
Body Shape Thin Normal Size
Feed Intake Poor appetite Good appetite
Organs Different fish diseases cause Internal organs are
damage to different organs healthy and normal

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Stage Two: Detailed health inspection
Check the body surface, fins and fin wounds are obvious signs of infections.
Common body symptoms of fish diseases are:

Dark body tone

Ulcer
Tumour
Loss scales
Protruding eyes
Oedema

Check the gills- If the gills are whitened or show ulcers or with deep red spots,
or there are gill flukes, excessive mucus or obstructive substances, the fish may be
infected and gill functions may be impaired.
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6.4. Common fish disease
Common fish diseases caused by different pathogens including parasites, fungi,
bacteria, viruses and non-pathogen related diseases. Fish diseases common in
Ethiopia are as follows:-
Type of infection Disease
Ectoparasitism Cryptocaryoniasis or Ichthyophthiriasis
Trichodiniasis
Chilodonellasis
Dactylogyrosis
Endoparasitism Glugea disease
Sanguinicolosis
Fungal Saprolegniasis
Bacterial Vibriosis
Viral Viral infection
Non-pathogen related diseases Unbalanced nutrition 16
6.4.1. Ectoparasitism
6.4.1.1. Cryptocaryoniasis or Ichthyophthiriasis
Pathogen A parasitic infection fish caused by Ichthyophthirius multifiliis
Transmission By parasitic spore, when they find a new host they will burrow
into the fish skin and settle there.
Symptoms White spots appear on the caudal and pectoral fins and gradually
extend to the body surface and gills. The sick fish get irritable and
restlessness. They circle continuously which results in loss of
scales, muscular inflammation and rot. The eye become white and
lose appetite, get thin and appear sluggish. Eventually gill tissues
are badly damaged and the fish will die of suffocation.
Treatment Immerse in freshwater for 5-15 minutes, or immerse in solution of
1:4000 formaldehyde or 1: 250,000 potassium permanganate for
hour and apply strong aeration.
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 6.4.1.2.Trichodiniasis

Pathogen Cause by Trichodina cilia species

Transmission Trichodina lay hundreds or even thousands of spores which
can survive in the sediment of fish ponds to wait for
suitable environment for hatching and seek new hosts.
Symptoms Symptoms are similar to those of Cryptocaryoniasis. The
infected fish show white spots on the body and gills.
Treatment similar to that for Cryptocaryon irritants

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 6.4.1.3.Chilodonellasis
Pathogen Causative organism is a protozoan parasite Chilodonella cyprinii
Transmission This protozoan parasite occurs frequently in fresh water and
reproduced by conjugation. As with many parasitic infestations,
the spore of Chilodonella dormant for long periods, when the fish
becomes stressed or weakened for any reason, or if the quality of
the water deteriorate, the parasites can seek into the host.
Symptoms Symptoms are similar to those of ichtyophthiriasis. The infected
fish have pathological changes in the body and gills.
Treatment there are several treatments can be used, but two very effective
treatments are effective, these include formaldehyde as a bath and
acriflavine as an antiseptic in solution

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 6.4.1.4.Dactylogyrosis
Pathogen Dactylogyrus (gill fluke) are oviparous monogeneans that have
caused by Dactylogyrus
Transmission Transmission of flukes from fish to fish by direct contact.
Dactylogyrus tend to have direct life cycles, which means that
no intermediate host is required for the parasite to reproduce.
Symptoms Fish that are infected have symptoms include inflamed gills,
excessive mucous secretions and accelerated respiration. In
severe infections, gill haemorrhaging and anorexic found
gasping air lead to secondary bacterial infections and death.
Treatments Method for control of Dactylogyrus is the application of
chemicals with veterinarian. Treatments include Praziquantel,
salt baths, formalin, fenbendazole,albendazole,Bromex-50 and
potassium permanganate
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 6.3.2.Endoparasitis
6.4.2.1. Glugea disease
Pathogen Glugea spores are a causative agents ingested by the host's and
develop inside the cells. These cells begin to hypertrophy, take a
nutrition from the host and result in xenomas. When the xenoma
establishes on the wall of the peritoneal cavity, it is encased by the
host's connective tissues.
Transmission Glugea spores reproduce and discharged out of a body faeces to
look for new hosts. Dead fish with Glugea disease also release large
quantities of Glugea spores when they rot in cultured fish, which
ease for transmission via the skin and digestive tract.
Symptoms Infected fish exhibits intestinal inflammation, lose appetite,
emaciatesand gradually led to the death.
Treatments Difficult yet to get treatment
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 6.4.2.2. Sanguinicolosis
Pathogen Sanguinicola species
Transmission Sanguinicola find their way to the water through fish gills and
look for snails as intermediate hosts where they reproduce in
masses. When the opportunities arises they invade fish and cause
damage to their circulatory system.
Symptoms There are no distinctive internal symptoms but as the disease
develops, gills will show dark spots, anaemic, bloated belly, and
inflamed anus, upright fins and protruded eyes (exophthalmic).
Treatments Give Praziquantel by oral administration or injection for
veterinarian prescription only.

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 6.4.3.Fungal infection
6.4.3.1.Saprolegniasis
Pathogen Saprolegnia
Transmission Saprolegnia growth in trash fish, fish feed, culture gear and
benthic organic matters. Masses of free spores are released from
the body surface, faeces and rotten carcass of infected fish to
look for new hosts in the water.
Symptoms Affected fish have greyish white woolly fungi on the body
surface. Some saprolegnia can cause granuloma like lesion in the
internal organs.
Treatments Difficult for treatment and none. When saprolegniasis is
diagnosed, all infected fish must be destroyed and no fish are to
be purchased or introduced until the fish farm is cleared and
thoroughly disinfected.
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 6.4.4.Bacterial infection
6.4.4.1. Vibriosis
Pathogen Vibrio bacterium
Transmission Vibrio are present in water. When immunity of fish poor
or there is any wound surface, infection may occur. Fish
can also get Vibiosis by eating trash fish with vibrio.
Symptoms Different species of vibrio attack different parts of the
fish. Some make the body surface, gills and fins rot, or
make the body turn black. Others attack internal organs
like the heart, liver, spleen and intestines.
Treatments Immerse in antibiotics or use them as oral drugs. Either
way it must be prescribed by veterinarian. Please note
that some vibrio have developed drug resistance to
common antibiotics. 24
 6.4.5.Viral infection 4.3.5.1. Viral infection
Pathogens Irictovirus
Noctovirus
Transmissions Viruses are transmitted from trash fish, brood stock or infected fish
to other fish. Transmission is very rapid and all the fish in a fish
farm can be infected within 12-24 hours. The death rate can be
100%. Fry under one year old are particularly vulnerable. Weather
or water quality changes can also lead to infection.
Symptoms Infection symptoms vary across different viruses. The sick fish
may swim abnormally, such as circling or show poor appetite, body
wounds or darkened body colour.
Treatments None Chemotheraptic. Neither antibiotics nor other fish drugs have
any treatment effect. However, as a preventive measure, vitamin C
can be added in the feed to boost resistance.
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These are some of Husbandry-related problems that leads to fish
diseases, such as

 Environmental hypoxia
 Hypercarbia
 Temperature stress
 Water is too acidic
 Water is too alkaline
 Improper salinity
 Trauma
 Nutritional deficiency 26
Among the above mentioned husbandry related problems, the major is
Nutritional disorders, such as

Hepatic lipidosis
Emaciation
Loss of dorsal musculature
Big head and small body
GI disorders
Fatty liver

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 6.5. Non-pathogen related diseases

Disease Fatty liver

Symptoms Fish feed regularly on high fat feed with no essential fatty acids,
such as trash fish will easily suffer from toxic reaction caused
by peroxidation of unsaturated fat. Appetite is poor and growth
is slow. It may also lead to bone defect or anaemia.

Treatments Improve feed quality, store fish feed properly and use suitable
additives.

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6.6. Treatment for fish diseases
One of major problems of fish diseases is overlooking and delaying treatment.
To maximise the chance of successful treatment, infected fish must be isolated
for treatment immediately.

6.6.1. Rules for using fish drugs

Fish producers must not use any fish drug not prescribed by the pharmacist or
a registered veterinarian or any fish drugs with unknown ingredients. When
giving drugs, stick to the prescribed dosage and observe the withdrawal
period. E.g. Hydrogen peroxide, the rule to be used, immerse fish in a solution
of 1: 2000, 30% hydrogen peroxide( i.e. 500 ml of hydrogen peroxide for 1
ton of water) for 1 hours.

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6.6.2. Correct use of fish drugs

Drug bath is a major course of treatment for fish disease. The correct way of preparing a drug
bath is as follows:-

Prepare a correct dose of fish drug, aerating equipment and a water bag seine or large tank.
Apply drug and stir well. Put a small number of fish into the drug bath first and observe their
reaction to the drug. Introduce the major stock only when the reaction of the fish batch of fish
is normal.
Observe how the fish react regularly and pump air continuously. If the fish behave strangely,
stop immersion immediately and consider other treatments.
Unless otherwise instructed by the pharmacist or a registered veterinarian, the fish stock must
be kept for at least 30 days after drug immersion before they can be sold or offered for
consumption. 30
6.6.3. Safety rules for using fish drugs
When applying fish drugs, avoid contact with eyes, mouth, skin or clothing
or inhalation into lungs. Wear personnel protection gear, such as safety
goggles, gloves, protective clothing and mask.
Containers should be correctly labelled and covered. Stay well clear of
ignition sources and dangerous chemicals like oxides, strong acids and strong
alkalis when using fish drugs.

Should any part of your body come into contact with fish drugs, rinse well
with plenty of water immediately. In case of contact with eyes, rinse well with
plenty of water immediately and lift the upper and lower eye lids to rinse
slowly for more than 5 minutes. Seek medical attention right away.

Store fish drugs in a cool, dry and well ventilated place and away from direct
sunlight. 31