Antibiotic sensitivity of bacterial flora associated with ornamental fish

Abstract

Bacterial flora associated with tail rot and fin rot of ornamental fish and hemorrhagic ulcers of catfish were studied. Sensitivity pattern of 33 isolates comprising Aeromonas spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Gram-positive rods from diseased Carassius auratus, Xiphophorus helleri and Clarius sp. were screened against six broad spectrum antibiotics namely, ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, co-trimoxazole, gentamycin, nitrofurantoin and oxytetracycline. Ciprofloxacin was the most effective in inhibiting bacteria at 0.05 - 0.10 μg/ml level. About 44.45 % of Pseudomonas spp. were resistant to nitrofurantoin. Resistance to oxytetracycline was seen in 27.78 % of Aeromonas spp. Gram-positive rods were comparatively more resistant to antibiotics. The multiple antibiotic resistance was seen in 21.21% of the bacterial isolates from diseased fish.