Bacteriological investigation of pop-eye disease in marine ornamental aquaria fishes from Andaman

Abstract

The ornamental marine aquarium fishes suffering from eye disease with symptoms
of cataract, exophthalmia, anorexia, dullness and death occurring in 3-5 days were
investigated for etiological agent and control measures. The prominent fish species
affected were grouper (Epinephelus spp.), Caranx spp., Triacanthus spp., bat fish
iPlatax spp.), undulata trigger fish (Balistrapus undulatus), lion fish (.Pterins spp.),
vagabond butterfly fish (Chaetndon vagabundus), pearl toby (Canthigastur
margaritata), tang fish (Naso spp.) and snapper (Lutjanus spp,). No parasites were
found to be involved in infected eyes on macroscopic examination. Out of 19
representative isolates selected for detailed bacteriological analysis fifteen, three
and one isolates were Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Vibrio anguillarum and Aeromonas
salmonicida respectively. The in-vitro antibiotic sensitivity test showed multiple
drug resistance against a minimum of five antibiotics to a maximum of thirteen
antibiotics. However, norfloxacin and chloramphenicol were found to be effective
against all the bacterial isolates. In isolation, treatment with chloramphenicol @
50 mg kg"' body weight when introduced intramuscularly for 5 days was able to
cure the disease. As the disease was cured by antibiotics, no parasites could be
found on macroscopic examination and 18 out of 19 isolates were found to belong
to the genus Vibrio.