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| Fish with bulge eyes |
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| Inspecting the level of infection in the pond |
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| Fish ready for table |
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| Fish booster |
Catfish like every other livestock comes down with different kinds of diseases that might lead to the increase in cost of production and sometimes leads to the closure of the farm/business.
Some diseases of catfish,symptoms and treatment may include:
Bacterial Infections:
Inactivity, loss of color, frayed fins, bloated body, cloudy eyes, open sores, abscesses, red streaks throughout body, reddening or inflammation of the skin, fins or internal organs, bulging eyes, difficulty breathing.
Fungal Infections (often secondary to another type of illness):
Erratic swimming, darting, scratching, visible cotton-like tufts on skin, eyes, or mouth.
Parasitic Infections:
Inactivity, loss of appetite, excess mucus or film on body, visible spots or worms, rapid breathing, scratching.
Treatment
Grayish-white film on skin, damaged fins, ulcers, yellow to gray patches on gills, tissue on head may be eaten away. Columnaris (Cotton Wool Disease) Must be treated immediately with Over-the-counter antibiotic medications. Very contagious, disinfect tank, rocks, net, etc.
Swelling of head, bulging eyes,use OTC antibiotics such as penicillin and tetracycline.
Dropsy (Malawi Bloat) may be caused by internal bacterial infection (if swelling is sudden), parasites, or cancer (if swelling is gradual). Add 1/8 teaspoon of Epsom salt for every 5 gallons of water and monitor for two weeks. Check for signs of bacterial infection or parasites for further treatment.Finrot Check pH and correct as needed.
Fish Pox, for now,no treatment. Keep up on water maintenance and symptoms should cease after about 10-12 weeks.
Difficulty swimming, swimming upside-down, floating, unable to surface. Do not confuse with swim bladder disease. Flipover Air can be removed from swim bladder by a veterinarian. Surgery is also a possibility in larger fish. Check for signs of internal infection or parasites and treat as necessary.
Note:
Never stock your pond without adequate pond preparation. If your pond is not properly prepared, cycles of pathogens causing disease will not be broken. Use fish booster to start your fingerlings/broodstock. It will be a wise decision on your part as a catfish farmer to do the necessary as regards pond preparation. For lime treatment of your ponds, 250kg of lime is recommended per acre of pond surface. Also under pond preparation, ensure all macro-organisms (tilapia, frog, etc.) are eradicated from your pond before introducing new set of fishes. Do not allow residual infection to spread to your new stock through poor pond preparation.
Ensure that water quality entering into your ponds is not compromised.
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