Can the parasitic fauna on Nile tilapias be affected by different production systems?

This study compared the parasitic fauna on Nile tilapias kept with swine dejects and tilapia from fee fishing fed commercial ration. A total of 360 fish were analyzed from August 2003 to July 2004 in a facility situated in Nova Trento, Santa Catarina, Brazil. No significant difference was observed in both systems. The parasite fauna in both systems were slightly similar, with the presence of the following parasites: Trichodina magna and T compacta (Ciliophora); Cichlidogyrus sclerosus and Cichlidogyrus sp. (Monogenoidea); and Lamproglena sp. (Lernaeidae). Parasitological analyzes did not differ among fishes kept with swine dejects and in fee fishing with commercial diet (P >0.05). The total prevalence of trichodinids in the gills of fish kept with swine dejects was 1.7% as compared to the one kept in fee fishing with commercial diet (0.6%). The Monogenoidea prevalence and mean intensity in the gills and body of fish from fee fishing was 16.5% and 2.6, and compared to other system was 13.2% and 0.8, respectively. This study showed that low stocking density and low water temperature in that region were responsible for the maintenance of good health and lower parasitism rate.