Parasitol Res (1989) 75: 503-511
Parasitnlngy
Review article
Chemotherapy of fish parasites
Giinter Schmahl, Horst Taraschewski, and Heinz Mehlhorn
Lehrstuhl fiir Spezielle Zoologie und Parasitologie, Ruhr-Universit/it Bochum, D-4630 Bochum, Federal Republic of Germany
Abstract. There are few agents on the market that
control fish parasites. These are substances that
are mainly used in other hosts; due to the different
metabolism of fish, they often have only moderate
effects on fish parasites. Therefore, the research
and development of fish-specific antiparasitic com-
pounds is needed to avoid the high losses suffered
by commercial fish hatcheries. Drugs similar to tol-
trazuril would perhaps be promising, due to their
broad spectrum of efficacy.
Key words: Chemotherapy - Fish parasites
Fish, commonly thought to be tight as a trivet
or sound as a bell, are among the most heavily
infected animals in the world. The future looks
black for fry - due not to polluted water but
mainly to parasite infection, which kills about 50%
of the fry, especially in crowded hatchery ponds.
Unfortunately, only a few chemotherapeutical
agents are available. These drugs and recent devel-
opments in controlling fish parasites are reviewed.
Commercially important fish parasites
In commercial farming of food and ornamental
fish all over the world, many parasites (Table 1),
belonging to nearly all systematical groups (Proto-
zoa, Helminthes and Arthropoda), are encoun-
tered. These parasites find optimal conditions in
crowded ponds with rising water temperatures and,
thus, lead to enormous losses. In this review, the
most important examples are chosen to represent
their systematical groups.
Reprint requests to: G. Schmabl
Research
9 Springer-Verlag 1989
Flagellata
Flagellata (e.g., Hexamita salmonis, Oodinium pil-
lularis, Cryptobia spp.) are mainly ectoparasites of
the skin and gills. Only in cases of general weak-
ness do these parasitic species cause severe impacts
on their hosts (Table 1).
Sporozoa, Coccidia
Specimens of the genera Eimeria, Goussia, and
Haemogregarina intracellularly parasitize the intes-
tinal tract and kidneys of fish. Their pathological
effects are not yet well understood (Table 1).
Ciliates
Among motile (Trichodina spp.) or sessile (Apio-
soma spp.) skin- and gill-parasitizing ciliates, Ich-
thyophthirius multifiliis is the most important, since
it has an extremely wide host range (Table 1).
Especially in salmonids, carp and catfish, the losses
due to ichthyophthiriosis (commonly known as
" I c h " or "white spot disease") are calculated in
millions of dollars (Hines and Spira 1973). This
parasite inhabits the skin without being intracellu-
lar; low-grade infections destroy the natural shield
against other pathogens, whereas high parasitae-
mia leads to death in a short time. These parasites
have an enormous potential for infection, since the
cysts have a high propagation rate at the bottom
of ponds.
Microsporidia
Most stages of Microsporidia parasitize intracellu-
larly in a variety of host cells (Table 1). Some spe-
cies may cause high mortality in fish, i.e. Glugea
plecoglossi in cultured Japanese ayu (Plecoglossus
altivelis). In heavy infestations, the xenomas are
504 G. Schmahl eta!. : Chemotherapy of fish parasites

Table 1. Selection of commercially important fish parasites

Parasites Size Host Infection site in fish Mode of infection

Flagellata:
Hexamita salmonis 7.4-12.3 x 3-6 grn Trouts Gut, gall bladder, Oral uptake
(e.g. Salmo trutta) blood
Oodinium pillularis 70 x 45 gm Freshwater Gills, skin Invasion of the skin
fish by swimming stages
Trypanoplasma spp. 6-25 x t .2-4 gm Common carp Blood Transmission by
( Cyprinus carpio), leeches
Tench ( Tinca tinea),
Crucian carp
(Carassius carassius)
Sporozoa/Coccidia:
Eimeria 14-17 gm Common carp Midgut, hindgut Oral uptake of spores
subepithelialis (oocysts) ( C. carpio)
Haemogregarina spp. i0 gm Freshwater and Erythrocytes Transmission by
marine fish leeches (?)
Ciliates:
Iehthyophthirius 50-1000 gm Freshwater fish Inside tissues Invasion by swimming
multifiliis (trophozoites) of epithelia theronts (swarmers)
Trichodina spp. 35-60 gm Freshwater and Motile on Invasion of gills,
marine fish gills, skin skin by swimming stages
Apiosoma spp. 80 x 38 gm Freshwater fish Sessile on Invasion of gills,
gills, skin skin by swimming stages
Microsporidia:
Glugea plecoglossi 5.8 • 2.1 gm Japanese ayu Body cavity, ovaries, Oral uptake of spores
(spores) (Plecoglossus testis, digestive tract,
altivelis) spleen, liver
Pleistophora 6 x 4 ~tm Members of four Skeletal muscles Oral uptake of spores
hyphessobryconis (spores) families of
freshwater fish
Myxozoa:
Myxobolus (syn. 4 x 7-10 gm Trouts Cartilaginous parts, Oral uptake of spores
Myxosoma) cerebralis (spores) (e.g., S. trutta), especially regio otica
Rainbow trout
(S. gairdneri)
Myxidium giardi 7 x 15 gm European eel Gills, kidney Oral uptake of spores
(spores) (Anguilla anguilla)
Sphaerospora renicola 10 • 10 ~m Common carp Swim bladder, Oral uptake of spores
(spores) ( C. carpio) kidney
Monogenea:
Gyrodactylus salaris 0.4 • 0.15 mm Atlantic salmon Ectoparasites on Body contact
(S. salar) skin, fins
Pseudodactylogyrus 0.58-1.16 x 0.15-0.24 mm European, Japanese Gills Invasion of
anguillae eel (A. anguilla, swimming oncomiracidia
A. japonica)
P. bini 0.54-1.6x0.12~.31mm European, Japanese Gills Invasion of
eel (A. anguilla, swimming oncomiraeidia
A. japonica)
Digenea:
Diplostomum 0.1x0.08mm Freshwater fish Endoparasites in Penetration of
spathaceum eyes cereariae
(metacercariae)
P osthodiplostomum 0.9x0.9mm Freshwater fish Skin, musculature Penetration of
cuticola cercariae
(metacercariae)
Sanguinicola inermis 1.5x0.3mm Common carp Blood vessels Penetration of
(adults) (C. carpio) cercariae