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Efficacy of Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Bath Immersion to Control External Columnaris Disease on Walleye and Channel Catfish Fingerlings

Rach, J.J., Johnson, A., Rudacille, J.B. and Schleis, S.M., 2008, Efficacy of Oxytetracycline Hydrochloride Bath Immersion to Control External Columnaris Disease on Walleye and Channel Catfish Fingerlings, North American Journal of Aquaculture, v.70, i.4, p. 459-465

Abstract

The efficacy of oxytetracycline hydrochloride (OTC-HCl) in controlling external columnaris disease Caused by Flavobacterium columnare oil fingerling walleyes Sander vitreus and channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus was evaluated in two on-site hatchery trials. Microscopic examination of skin scrapings before treatment confirmed the presence of bacteria with characteristics indicative of F. colunmare. In separate trials, walleyes (4.4 g) and channel catfish (1.5 g) were exposed to 60-min static bath treatments of OTC-HCl at 0, 10, and 20 mg/L (walleyes) or 0. 10 20, and 40 mg/L (channel catfish) on three consecutive days. Each treatment regimen was tested in triplicate, and each replicate contained either 30 walleyes or 55 channel catfish. Posttreatment presumptive disease diagnosis indicated that F. columnare was the disease agent causing the mortality in both species of fish. Walleye survival at 10 d post treatment was greater in the 10- and 20-mg/L treatment groups than in the control group: however, only the 10-mg/L treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased walleye survival in comparison with controls. In the channel catfish trial, survival at 10 d post treatment was significantly (P < 0.05) greater for all OTC-HCl treatment groups relative to controls. Results from these trials indicated that OTC-HCl treatments effectively reduced mortality in walleyes (10 mg/L only) and channel catfish infected with F. columnare.

Keywords

Ictalurus-punctatus rafibesque; hydrogen peroxide, rainbow trout, infection; toxicity; marking; fish