<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934, was detected for the first time in breeding of discus fish Symphysodon discus (Perciformes, Cichlidae), a popular South American cichlid. In examined samples, the adult and juvenile cestodes of B. acheilognathi with mean intensity of infection 30 (range 19 - 47) individuals per fish were found. The infected fish displayed acute behavioral symptoms. Mortality was significant; it reached almost 80 % in youngest age categories. As treatment, praziquantel immersions in dose 2 mg per liter were well tolerated and efficacious. The risk of spreading pathogens via imported fish is actual menace for ornamental breeding fish, therefore, thorough quarantine and prophylactic measures needs to be done by all fish imports and introductions. Import and subsequent release of infected ornamental fish into freshwater ecosystems may represent serious risk for spread and establishment of the parasite in native fish species. This case study illustrates that ornamental fish play also a key role in national and international movements of parasites in freshwater habitats.</p></abstract>

The Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934, was detected for the first time in breeding of discus fish Symphysodon discus (Perciformes, Cichlidae), a popular South American cichlid. In examined samples, the adult and juvenile cestodes of B. acheilognathi with mean intensity of infection 30 (range 19 - 47) individuals per fish were found. The infected fish displayed acute behavioral symptoms. Mortality was significant; it reached almost 80 % in youngest age categories. As treatment, praziquantel immersions in dose 2 mg per liter were well tolerated and efficacious. The risk of spreading pathogens via imported fish is actual menace for ornamental breeding fish, therefore, thorough quarantine and prophylactic measures needs to be done by all fish imports and introductions. Import and subsequent release of infected ornamental fish into freshwater ecosystems may represent serious risk for spread and establishment of the parasite in native fish species. This case study illustrates that ornamental fish play also a key role in national and international movements of parasites in freshwater habitats.

The pathogenic Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934 (Cestoda) in the Red discus (Symphysodon discus)

University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice, Komenského 73, 04181 Košice, Slovakia

Institute of Parasitology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Hlinkova 3, 04001 Košice, Slovakia

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934, was detected for the first time in breeding of discus fish Symphysodon discus...

The pathogenic Asian fish tapeworm, Bothriocephalus acheilognathi Yamaguti, 1934 (Cestoda) in the Red discus (Symphysodon discus)

Published Online: Aug 13, 2015

Page range: 287 - 292

Received: Mar 12, 2015

Accepted: May 12, 2015

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/helmin-2015-0044

© Institute of Parasitology, SAS, Košice

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.