Volume 15, Issue 1: 2025 - Article 186

Abstract
A cross sectional survey of parasite infestation of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) sourced from concrete and earthen fish ponds of fish farms in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria was done, using standard parasitological techniques. A total of 100 fish consisting of 50 each from concrete and earthen fish ponds were used for the study. Standard parasitological examination procedures were utilized in the study. Results showed that four parasite groups comprising of crustaceans (Ergasilus sp. and Argulus sp.), protozoan (Myxobolus sp.), cestode (Diphilobothrium latum) and nematodes (Camallanus sp., Contracaecum sp. and Eustrongylides sp.) were recovered from the fish studied. The identified parasites were recovered from both pond types (concrete and earthen ponds), with the exception of Diphilobothrium latum and Eustrongylides sp. which were detected only in fish sourced from the earthen ponds. Higher number of parasites (177), prevalence (82.0%) and mean intensity (4.32) were recorded for samples of fish sourced from the earthen ponds, when compared to the concrete ponds, which had 146 parasites, 76.0% prevalence and 3.84 mean intensity. Externally, the gills of fish from both pond types had higher parasite load when compared to the fins, but internally, the intestines of the fish had higher parasite load compared to the stomach.  Male fish sourced from concrete ponds had higher prevalence (48.0%) and number of parasites (75) compared to the female fish (with 28.0% prevalence and 71 parasites). However, in the concrete ponds, higher intensity of parasite (5.07) was recorded for the female fish when compared to the males (3.13 intensity). Female fish sourced from the earthen pond had higher prevalence (42.0%), number of parasites (92) and intensity of parasites (4.38) when compared to the males (40.0% prevalence, 85 parasites and 4.25 intensity). Parasites were more in bigger fish (length and weight) than the smaller ones. Overall, fishes sourced from earthen ponds had higher prevalence of parasites than the ones sourced from concrete ponds.


Keywords: African catfish; Clarias gariepinus; Parasite infestation; Prevalence; Concrete fish ponds; Earthen fish ponds; Lafia Nigeria.

How to cite this article:
Omeji S, Danung BM and Abdullahi YM (2025). Cross sectional survey of parasite infestation of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) sourced from concrete and earthen fish ponds in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Journal of Veterinary and Applied Sciences, 15(1): 1014 – 1025.

*Correspondence: E-mail:     dromejisam@gmail.com      Phone: +2347069695333

Cross sectional survey of parasite infestation of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) sourced from concrete and earthen fish ponds in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
Samuel Omeji ¹, Bitrus M. Danung ² and Yunusa M. Abdullahi <sup>3

1</sup> Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, P. M. B. 2373,
Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.
² Department of Science, Biology Unit, Plateau State Polytechnic, Barkin Ladi, Jos, Nigeria.
³ Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management, Faculty of Agriculture, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria.

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