J. World Maricul. SOC.

13:268-273 (1982)

PARASITE LEVELS O F STOCKED GLASS EEL

AND ELVER STAGES OF AMERICAN EEL^

Donald W. F i e l d and Arnold G. Eversole

Department o f Entomology, F i s h e r i e s and W i l d l i f e
Clemson U n i v e r s i t y
Clemson, SC 29631

ABSTRACT

Glass eel and e l v e r s t a g e s o f American e e l ( A n g u i l l a rostrata) c o l -

l e c t e d f o r a commercial a q u a c u l t u r e f a c i l i t y from Cooper R i v e r , South
C a r o l i n a , w e r e examined f o r p a r a s i t e s . G l a s s e e l s (n=130) were i n f e c t e d
w i t h t w o s p e c i e s , M y x i d i u m g i a r d i (56.9%) and an u n i d e n t i f i e d glochidium
( 1 . 5 % ) . M . g i a r d i o c c u r r e d a s immature t r o p h o z o i t e s i n t h e g a l l b l a d d e r .
F i v e phyla and 8 g e n e r a o f p a r a s i t e s were recovered from e l v e r s (n=199).
Frequently o c c u r r i n g s p e c i e s i n c l u d e d M . g i a r d i ( 6 5 . 3 % ) , T r i c h o d i n a sp.
(45.7%) and B o t h r i o c e p h a l u s s c o r p i i ( 2 1 . 1 % ) . I n e l v e r s , M . g i a r d i oc-
c u r r e d as immature and mature t r o p h o z o i t e s i n g a l l b l a d d e r s , and as
c y s t s i n g i l l filaments.
E l v e r s were t r e a t e d p r o p h y l a c t i c a l l y w i t h 100 m g / l i t e r f o r m a l i n f o r
one hour b e f o r e s t o c k i n g ponds. Occurrence of T r i c h o d i n a decreased from
80.0 t o 21.1% and i n t e n s i t y d e c r e a s e d from 1 2 . 1 t o 8.3 T r i c h o d i n a p e r
e l v e r a f t e r treatment. S i g n i f i c a n t d e c l i n e s i n i n f e s t a t i o n w e r e n o t ob-
served i n o t h e r p a r a s i t e s a f t e r treatment.

INTRODUCTION

A l l s t a g e s o f American e e l ( A n g u i l l a rostrata) are h a r v e s t e d from

United S t a t e s c o a s t a l waters. Glass e e l and e l v e r s t a g e s h a r v e s t e d dur-
i n g t h e i r s p r i n g m i g r a t i o n s a r e used t o supplement t h e s t o c k i n g o f c u l -
t u r e ponds w i t h Japanese e e l ( A . j a p o n i c a ) i n A s i a . Yellow and s i l v e r
s t a g e s o f American eel a r e i n h i g h demand as a food p r o d u c t i n European
and Asian markets. E e l c u l t u r e i n t h e United S t a t e s h a s been l a r g e l y
experimental and domestic markets f o r e e l a r e l i m i t e d .
Since a r t i f i c i a l spawning h a s n o t been p e r f e c t e d , t h e c u l t u r e in-
d u s t r y relies s t r i c t l y on w i l d h a r v e s t o f g l a s s eels and e l v e r s f o r
s t o c k i n g ponds. T h i s r e l i a n c e on w i l d s t o c k s a l l o w s f o r p o s s i b l e i n t r o -

ITechnical c o n t r i b u t i o n No. 2020, p u b l i s h e d by permission of t h e

D i r e c t o r , South C a r o l i n a A g r i c u l t u r a l Experiment S t a t i o n . T h i s r e s e a r c h
w a s funded by South C a r o l i n a Sea Grant Consortium and South C a r o l i n a Ag-
r i c u l t u r a l Experiment S t a t i o n (Regional Research P r o j e c t 5-168).

268
duction of pathogenic parasites and bacteria into culture systems. Crane
and Eversole (1980) found 5 species of parasites on elvers, but no para-
sites on glass eels. Eight parasite species were collected from elvers
cultured in North Carolina (Angel and Jones 1974). Very little other
parasite work has been done on American glass eels and elvers.
A study was undertaken to determine the parasitic fauna of cultured
American eel from time of capture for stocking through time of harvest.
This paper presents data collected on parasites of glass eels and elvers
prior to stocking, and an evaluation of prophylactic treatment with for-
malin. Information obtained in this study should be useful in develop-
ing techniques f o r prevention of parasitic epizootics in American eel
culture systems.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Glass eels and elvers collected by fyke net from Cooper River,South
Carolina, from January through April 1981 were used to stock ponds at the
aquaculture facility of Santee Cooper Public Service Authority. Water
supply for the culture facility is heated from the coal-fired Winyah
electrical generating station in Georgetown, South Carolina. Eels to be
stocked in April were experimentally treated with 100 mg/liter formalin
(37% formaldehyde) f o r one hour.
Eels sampled from the culture facility were shipped to Clemson Uni-
versity where they were held in aquaria with filtered fresh running
water until examination. In most cases all eels in a sample were exam-
ined within 2 weeks. Table 1 gives a breakdown of the number of eels
examined by month, stage and treatment.
Eels were measured to the nearest mm total length (TL) and placed
individually in 1:4000 formalin in.distilled water for one hour to dis-
lodge ectoparasites. Settleable materials in the 1:4000 formalin solu-
tions were examined with a dissecting microscope. Giemsa-stained blood
smears were examined for blood protozoans from eels greater than 80 mm
TL. Excised visceral organs including heart, liver, gall bladder, spleen,
intestine, stomach, air bladder, kidneys, urinary bladder and mesenteries
were examined. Smears of selected tissues and mucous scrapings were ex-
amined with a compound microscope. Parasites were sorted by type, fixed
and preserved according to methods of Rogers (unpublished) and Hoffman
(1967).
Percentage of eels infected (% occurrence) and mean number of para-
sites per infected eel (intensity) were calculated. Effectiveness of
prophylactic treatment was evaluated by comparing parasite levels, per-
cent occurrences with equality tests (==0.05) and mean intensities with
"t" tests (==0.05) , of elvers collected and treated with formalin in the
same month. Low percent occurrence of most parasite species limited
statistical testing to T r i c h o d i n a levels in elvers sampled in February
and elvers infected with M y x i d i u m giardi and Bothriocephalus scorpii in
February and March.

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Table 1. P e r c e n t Occurrence and Mean I n t e n s i t y ( i n p a r e n t h e s e s ) of Para-
s i t e s Found i n G l a s s E e l and E l v e r S t a g e s o f American E e l (An-
g u i l l a rostrata) C o l l e c t e d from S a n t e e Cooper P u b l i c S e r v i c e
A u t h o r i t y Aquaculture F a c i l i t y near Georgetown, South C a r o l i n a ,
1981. T r e a t e d eels were exposed t o 100 m g / l i t e r f o r m a l i n f o r
one hour.

January February March

untreated Untreated Treated Untreated Treated
Parasites Glass Elvers Glass Elvers Elvers Elvers Glass Elvers
n=50 n=50 n=50 n=50 n=19 n=50 n=30 n=30

Protozoa
Trichodina sp. 90.0 80.0 21.1 2.0 - 3.3
(9.1) (12.1) (8.3) (1) (1)
Myxidium giardi 0 54.0 76.0 52.6 72.0 100.0 63.3
(-) (nd)a (nd) (nd) Ind) (nd) (nd)
Myxolwlus sp. 2.0 0 0 0 - 0
(11) (-) (-) (-) (-)

Trematoda
Clinostomum marginatum - 2.0 2.0 0 2.0 - 3.3
(2) (1) (-) (1) (1)
Crepidostomum cornutum - 2.0 0 10.5 4.0 - 0
(3) (-) (1.0) (1.0) (-1
Cestoda
Bothriocephalus scorpii - 20.0 10.0 21.0 28.0 - 30.0
(1.1) (1.0) (1.0) (1.5) (1.2)
Acanthocephala
Leptorhynchoides thecatus - 4.0 2.0 0 4.0 - 0
(1.5) (2) (- ) (1.0) (-)

Nematoda
Philonema sp. 2.0 4.0 10.5 6.0 - 0
(1) (1.0) (1.0) (1.0) (-)
Unidentified Cysts 22.0 12.0 15.8 28.0 - 23.3
(1.2) (1.8) (1.6) (1.4) (1.3)
Mollusca
Glochidium 4.0 - 0 -
(1.0) (-)

and = not determined.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Of 130 g l a s s eels (48-61 mm TL) examined, 56.9% were i n f e c t e d w i t h

Myxidium q i a r d i and 1.5% w i t h an u n i d e n t i f i e d glochidium (Table 1). M.
q i a r d i o c c u r r e d as immature t r o p h o z o i t e s i n the g a l l b l a d d e r . Immature
t r o p h o z o i t e s ranged from small s p h e r e s <0.1 mm i n d i a m e t e r t o oval-shaped
s t r u c t u r e s 0.8 mm i n l e n g t h . G a l l b l a d d e r s u s u a l l y c o n t a i n e d one t o 20
immature t r o p h o z o i t e s . T h i s i s t h e f i r s t r e p o r t o f c o e l o z o i c trophozo-
i t e s of M. q i a r d i i n American eel. Occurrence of M. q i a r d i i n g l a s s eels
i n c r e a s e d from 0% i n January t o 88% and 100% i n February and March, re-
s p e c t i v e l y (Table 1). T h i s i n c r e a s e i s hard t o e x p l a i n because t h e
mechanism by which M. q i a r d i i s t r a n s m i t t e d i s n o t completely understood.
M. q i a r d i w a s found i n 65.3% of 199 e l v e r s (80-137 mm TL) examined,
o c c u r r i n g a s immature t r o p h o z o i t e s ( 3 7 . 2 % ) and mature t r o p h o z o i t e s
(25.1%) i n g a l l b l a d d e r s , and as c y s t s (6.0%) i n g i l l f i l a m e n t s . Tropho-
z o i t e s w e r e determined t o b e mature when s p o r e s and p a n s p o r o b l a s t s w i t h
developing spores w e r e p r e s e n t . Concomitant i n f e s t a t i o n s o f mature and
immature t r o p h o z o i t e s were n o t observed, and u s u a l l y o n l y one l a r g e ma-

270
t u r e t r o p h o z o i t e w a s found per g a l l b l a d d e r . Spores o c c u r r e d a s p a i r s
surrounded by a t h i n membrane, and were numerous i n b i l e i n g a l l blad-
d e r s and i n i n t e s t i n e s o f e l v e r s i n f e c t e d w i t h mature t r o p h o z o i t e s .
Spores may p a s s i n b i l e from t h e g a l l b l a d d e r t o t h e i n t e s t i n e on t h e i r
way t o t h e o u t s i d e environment. Copland (1981) d e s c r i b e d t r o p h o z o i t e s
from k i d n e y s , stomach and i n t e s t i n e as w e l l as t h e g a l l b l a d d e r i n g l a s s ,
e l v e r and yellow s t a g e s o f European eel ( A . a n g u i l l a ) . N o kidney, stom-
ach o r i n t e s t i n a l t r o p h o z o i t e s w e r e found i n A . r o s t r a t a .
G i l l s o f 1 2 elvers were i n f e c t e d w i t h M. g i a t d i ; 2 e l v e r s had more
t h a n 200 c y s t s . Such i n f e c t i o n s d e s t r o y g i l l t i s s u e and i n advanced
s t a g e s may l e a d t o a s p h y x i a t i o n (Hine and Boustead 1974). Numerous le-
s i o n s caused by M. g i a r d i appeared on t h e c a u d a l s u r f a c e o f one e l v e r .
Except i n such cases of cutaneous myxosporidiosis, M. g i a r d i i n f e c t i o n s
can o n l y be d e t e c t e d by d i s s e c t i o n . U n t i l evidence o f M. g i a r d i patho-
g e n i c i t y i s o b t a i n e d , l i t t l e e f f o r t should be made t o c o n t r o l it (Crane
and E v e r s o l e 1980).
Myxobolus s p . , a n o t h e r myxosporozoan, o c c u r r e d as 11 w h i t e subder-
m a 1 c y s t s on d o r s a l and a n a l f i n s of one e l v e r .
Myxobolus i n f e c t i o n s ,
though n o t known t o b e p a t h o g e n i c , can cause u n s i g h t l y masses of c y s t s
t h a t may lower market value o f i n f e c t e d eels.
The p e r i t r i c h o u s c i l i a t e Trichodina s p . w a s t h e second most abun-
d a n t p a r a s i t e on elvers (Table 1). Reasons f o r t h e d e c r e a s e i n pretreat-
ment l e v e l s o f Trichodina from 90% and 80% i n January and February t o 2 %
i n March are unknown. Rickards (1978) and Crane and E v e r s o l e (1980) con-
s i d e r e d Trichodina t o be a p o t e n t i a l problem i n e e l c u l t u r e , s i n c e rela-
t i v e l y few p a r a s i t e s on g i l l s o f small eels would c o n s t i t u t e a heavy
p a r a s i t e burden. Meyer (1970) r e p o r t e d t h a t heavy i n f e s t a t i o n s caused
mortalities i n r e c e n t l y hatched channel c a t f i s h .
The pseudophyllidean c e s t o d e Bothriocephalus s c o r p i i w a s t h e most
commonly encountered helminth ( T a b l e 1 ) . B . scorpii o c c u r r e d as a d u l t s
i n t h e a n t e r i o r i n t e s t i n e o f 21.1% o f e l v e r s examined.
The two species o f Trematoda found i n e l v e r s were Clinostomum margi-
natum and Crepidostomum c o r n u t u m (Table 1). T h i s i s t h e f i r s t r e p o r t e d
occurrence of C. marginatum i n A . r o s t r a t a . Metacercariae o f C. margi-
natum were found i n muscle and a t t a c h e d t o g i l l a r c h e s . Two metacerca-
r i a e e n c y s t e d on g i l l . a r c h e s o f one e e l f i l l e d most o f the b u c c a l c a v i t y
and were v i s i b l e e x t e r n a l l y . I n f e s t a t i o n s such as t h e s e could reduce
f e e d i n g i n s m a l l e e l s . Hoffman (1967) r e p o r t e d t h a t C. marginatum can
o c c a s i o n a l l y cause c o n s i d e r a b l e damage i n h a t c h e r i e s . Crepidostomum
cornutum o c c u r r e d as a d u l t s i n i n t e s t i n a l lumens o f 4 e l v e r s and as a
metacercaria i n muscle t i s s u e of t h e cauda o f a n o t h e r e l v e r .
The acanthocephalan Leptorhynchoides t h e c a t u s o c c u r r e d as a d u l t s i n
t h e d i g e s t i v e t r a c t o f 4 o f 5 i n f e c t e d e l v e r s . The o t h e r occurrences o f
L. t h e c a t u s were o u t s i d e o f t h e d i g e s t i v e t r a c t , one encysted j u v e n i l e
i n mesentery and one a d u l t f r e e i n t h e body c a v i t y . While p a t h o g e n i c i t y
of acanthocephalans i n eels h a s n o t been documented, h i g h rates o f i n -
f e s t a t i o n may cause s e r i o u s damage t o i n t e s t i n a l t i s s u e (Hoffman 1967).
Larvae o f Philomena sp. w e r e found f r e e i n g a l l b l a d d e r s and i n t e s -
t i n e s of 8 eels ( T a b l e 1). Encysted worms n o t completely i d e n t i f i e d
w e r e assumed c o l l e c t i v e l y t o be nematodes. Encysted nematodes w e r e m o s t
o f t e n found i n stomach w a l l s o r c o n n e c t i v e t i s s u e between t h e s p l e e n and
intestine.

271
 P r o p h y l a c t i c t r e a t m e n t w i t h 1 0 0 m g / l i t e r formalin f o r one hour re-
s u l t e d i n a s i g n i f i c a n t decrease (-0.05) i n p e r c e n t occurrence and mean
i n t e n s i t y o f Trichodina on e l v e r s c o l l e c t e d i n February. Occurrence de-
c r e a s e d from 80.0 t o 21.1% and i n t e n s i t y decreased from 1 2 . 1 t o 8 . 3 T r i -
chodina p e r e l v e r a f t e r t r e a t m e n t ( T a b l e 1 ) . S i g n i f i c a n t d e c l i n e s i n
i n f e s t a t i o n were n o t d e t e c t e d i n o t h e r p a r a s i t e s a f t e r t r e a t m e n t .
Formalin is c u r r e n t l y n o t r e g i s t e r e d f o r u s e w i t h food f i s h (Schnick
e t a l . 1979). S a l t ( N a C 1 ) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) are r e g i s -
t e r e d f o r food f i s h u s e , and are a l t e r n a t e c o n t r o l s f o r Trichodina
(Reichenbach-Klinke and Elkan 1965; Amlacher 1970; Hoffman and Meyer
1974). W e found 100 m g / l i t e r KM~OI,f o r 1 0 minutes t o be a s a f e and ef-
f e c t i v e c o n t r o l of Trichodina ( E v e r s o l e and F i e l d 1982).
Current evidence s t r o n g l y i n d i c a t e s p a r a s i t e abundance and d i v e r -
s i t y was g r e a t e r i n e l v e r s t h a n g l a s s e e l s . G l a s s e e l s may n o t be ex-
posed t o some o f t h e same i n t e r m e d i a t e h o s t s as e l v e r s because o f t h e
markedly d i f f e r e n t food h a b i t a t s o f r e c e n t l y migrated g l a s s e e l s and
o l d e r e l v e r s (Tesch 1977). Whether g l a s s eels p o s s e s s an a d d i t i o n a l
n a t u r a l immunity a g a i n s t some p a r a s i t e s i s unknown.
P a r a s i t e s a l r e a d y p r e s e n t i n w i l d s t o c k s o f e l v e r s pose p o t e n t i a l
dangers t o eel c u l t u r i s t s . Some o f t h e s e dangers c o u l d be avoided if
o n l y g l a s s eels w e r e c o l l e c t e d f o r s t o c k i n g ponds. However, g l a s s e e l s
and e l v e r s are c a p t u r e d a t t h e same t i m e and a r e d i f f i c u l t t o s e p a r a t e .
I s o l a t i o n , o b s e r v a t i o n , and p r o p h y l a c t i c t r e a t m e n t o f each c o l l e c t i o n
b e f o r e combining r e c e n t l y c o l l e c t e d s t o c k s w i t h c u l t u r e s t o c k s would
h e l p reduce p o t e n t i a l dangers. Any eels showing s i g n s o f heavy p a r a s i -
t i c i n f e s t a t i o n o r d i s e a s e should be removed immediately and destroyed.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The a u t h o r s wish t o thank James Tuten and Santee Cooper P u b l i c Ser-

v i c e A u t h o r i t y f o r t h e i r c o o p e r a t i o n and a s s i s t a n c e i n supplying eels.
W e a l s o thank John S. C r a n e f o r h i s h e l p i n confirming i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s
of s e v e r a l p a r a s i t e s p e c i e s .

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