AGRIBUSINESS : Common fish diseases and treatment.

Fish health management refers to practices that ensures optimum growth and development.The health status of fish is hinged largely on procedural technique;these include stocking density,water quality,oxygen tension, rate of dissolved gases turbidity and feed.The proper implementation of these technique ensures that the fish are disease-free. Diseases affecting fish are classified as bacterial,viral and fungal; these will only proliferate when environmental conditions of the pond are altered thereby making the fish susceptible to infection. Bacteria enteritis is a bacterial infection caused by Aeromonas punctata , where the fish stops feeding,the intestines are distended,the body is darkened ,the gills are rotten and anal region is swollen.The condition results in high mortality,the treatment is use of antibiotics in feed or soak affected fish in antibiotic laced water.There is also a herbal remedy ; fresh garlic are crushed and added to feed at a rate of 5 g of garlic to 10 kg of feed for 3 days. Bacterial gill rot caused by flexibacter columnaris; affects the gills turns them black because of large deposit of mucus on the gills,thus making it putrid.The operculum is inflamed ,gills ulcerate and drop off.This is also treated by adding antibiotics to feed,also table salt at 2% concentration in 20litres of water can be used in the treatment tank,where the fish are immersed for 10-15 mins. The cotton white disease or "water mold" caused by saprolegria spp,affects the gill filaments making them hairy and white.The treatment involves immersing fish in a solution of common salt and sodium bicarbonate. White head and mouth disease caused by pseudomonas dermoalla, the fish loses the natural color and attains a milky color from head to tail.This condition is also caused by myxococus piscicala. Furunculosis refers to the condition where the fish skin and muscle are inflammed,distended with pus,the fins are damaged and are eroded. The sudden death syndrome usually caused by branchiomycosis sanguinis; the gills are pale,with heavy mucus deposit on gills ,spores are also noted on gills suffocating the fish because of insufficient oxygen.This disease is largely associated with poor water quality with high deposit of inorganic matter. The treatment of bacterial infection in fish requires use of antibiotics in feed or water but most importantly,the pond must be flushed .Water must be added to pond and it should be properly aerated before treatment commences. Fish diseases can be prevented with sound management practices and inclusion of atovi feed premix to fish feed.