title: Parasitic infections of Piaractus mesopotamicus and hybrid (P. mesopotamicus x Piaractus brachypomus) cultured in Brazil.
abstract: This study evaluated the occurrence of parasitic infections in the "pacu" fish Piaractus mesopotamicus and the "patinga" hybrid (P. mesopotamicus x Piaractus brachypomus) in the northwest of São Paulo State, Brazil. Fish from the following three fish farms were evaluated every two months: A, a hatchery and larviculture farm (n = 16 pacu / n = 19 patinga), B, a growout farm (n = 35 patinga) and C, a fee-fishing property (n = 28 pacu / n = 7 patinga). Thirty-five fish from each property were collected from February 2010 to February 2011 and subjected to parasitological analysis. The parasites found were the following: Mymarothecium viatorum, Anacanthorus penilabiatus, Notozothecium janauachensis (Dactylogyridae, Monogenea), Trichodina spp., Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, Chilodonella sp. (Protozoa), Myxobolus spp., Henneguya spp. (Myxozoa), Rondonia rondoni, Contracaecum sp. (Nematoda), and Dolops carvalhoi (Crustacea). Of the fish examined, 62.9% from "A" and 100% from "B" and "C" were infested with at least one parasite species. Pacu fish (n = 44) showed a higher susceptibility to Anacanthorus penilabiatus infestations, whereas patinga (n = 61) were more susceptible to Mymarothecium viatorum (p < 0.05). Appropriate fish handling (nutrition, transport and storage), in conjunction with monitoring of water quality, can reduce the stress to which the farmed fish are exposed and is essential for pathogen control.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, BotucatuSP, Brasil.
authors.forename: Lidiane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Franceschini
authors.forename: Aline Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Zago
authors.forename: Sérgio Henrique Canello
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Schalch
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Daiane Mompean
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Romera
authors.forename: Reinaldo José
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001938:Brazil; D060125:Characiformes / Q000469:parasitology*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000469:parasitology*; D005398:Fisheries