International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ___________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202Vol. 3(11), 47-50, November (2014) Int. Res. J. Biological Sci. International Science Congress Association        
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Incidences of Mycotic infections in Channa punctatus of Wadali Lake, Amravati , MS, India Pachade G. R., Bhatkar N.V. and Hande D.V.Dept of Zoology, Shri Shivaji College, Akot, Dist Akola MS, 444101, INDIA *Dept of Botany, Shri Shivaji Science College, Amravati, MS.444601, INDIA Available online at: 
www.isca.in, www.isca.me
Received 31st July 2014, revised 5th September 2014, accepted 9th October 2014 Abstract  Healthy and infected fish Channa punctatus were collected from Wadali Lake Amravati for the present study during July 2011 to July 2013. The infected fishes in catch were identified from red spot on their body, damaged and their sluggishness. In the present investigation mycological studies were carried out on fishes with fungal infection. Isolates Fungi were obtained from   infected fishes exhibited eleven different fungal infections. The fungal infected tissue was cultured on appropriate culture media and the microscopic observations showed the presence of fungal species like Alternaria alternata, Aphanomyces invadans, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium cladosporides, Curvularia lunata, Drechslera hawaiinsis, Fusarium oxysporum, , Mucor mucedo, Rhizopus stolonifer and Saprolegnia parasitica. All these Fungi were isolated from Channa punctatus.  Keywords: Fungal infection, Channa punctatus, wadali lake.Introduction Fishes are one of the most important groups of vertebrates which provide free economic services to human beings in several ways. In the world fish production, India ranks third. Fungal infections of fish harmed fisheries and aquaculture. Fungal infection in fishes causes damages on various parts of the body. In India, the incidence of disease has been observed in major carps cultured in the country3,4. The impact of these infections on sizes in fresh water ecosystems. In India fishermen is facing serious problems with fungal diseases. Therefore, diseases cause high mortality, which results in economic losses. Sufficient information is not available to overcome the problem5-10. Study of fungal infections in fresh water fish is of great significance as it would be helpful in knowing the diversity and life cycle of fungus parasitic and saprophytic on the fresh water fish. Therefore, the study was undertaken on fungal infections in locally available fresh water edible fishes.  Material and methods Wadali Lake was selected for the study of fungal infections on the freshwater fishes. Wadali Lake is located in Amravati, Maharashtra (India). Healthy and infected fishes (Channa punctatus) were collected from Wadali Lake Amravati (2055’24.37”N and 7747’46.12”E) for the present study. Collection of fishes and Sampling techniques: The healthy and infected Channa punctatus were collected randomly every week at regular interval from the study area with the help of fishermen. The infected fishes were identified from red spot on their body, excess mucus secretions, damaged and infected gills and their sluggishness. Infected fishes were studied during 2011 to 2013. For further investigations like isolation and their morphotaxonomy fishes were brought to laboratory and kept in big aquaria (48x18x18) inches.Isolation of fungus: Small block of muscle was removed from the lesion and culture media for the isolation of the fungus. Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA); Corn Meal Agar (CMA); Water Agar (WA) and Czapek Dox Agar (CDA) were used as a media into the Petri dishes. The tissue blocks were transferred into the other set of Petri dishes. Petri dishes were placed inverted in incubator at 25°C for 3 days, until a circular fungal mat developed, which were used for subculture of the fungus.  Incidence of fungal diseases: Fungi from infected fishes were identified with help of characters and measurements of fruiting bodies, color, shape, size and attachments of conidia with relevant literature11. Incidence of fungal disease of infected fishes was calculated by following formula:    Incidence (%) = (No. of fish infected / No. of fish Examined) × 100. Results and Discussion During the study period total 1920 fishes were examined; out of which 230 fishes were found to be infected by Fungi and thus the incidence of infection observed was 11.97% of the total fishes observed (table-1). During study period out of 629 Channa punctatus 123 fishes were infected (19.55%). Clinical signs of fungal infection were more severe in the month of October, November, December and January, where as in the month of March and April most of the fishes were not infected and were healthy. 
International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202   Vol. 3(11), 47-50, November (2014)  Int. Res. J. Biological SciInternational Science Congress Association 
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Table 1 Fungi infected fish species and their incidence during the study period S.  N Name of  fish Total No. of Fishes Observed Total No. of fishes Infected Incidence (%) 
1 Channa punctatus 629 123 19.55 
2 Clarias sp. 593 97 16.35 
3 Labeo rohita 272 00 00 
4 Catla catla 237 00 00 
5 Heteropneustes fossillis 189 10 5.29 
Total 1920 230 11.97 
Fungal infections: The incidences of fungal infections in C. punctatus as reported during present investigations are shown in table-2.  Alternaria alternata(Fr.) Keissler, From the study of fungal incidence it was observed thatA.alternata prevails throughout the year except the month of May and June in case of C. punctatus with the maximum incidence 20% during November. It was more or less equally reported during the month of August, September, October, December and January in infected C. punctatus.  Aphanomyces invadansWilloughby, Roberts and Chinabut, While investigating the mycotic dermal infections the average incidence of A. invadans was found to be increasing from month of August (05%) up to the month of December (10%) and no infection was reported after the month of February in C. punctatus. Aspergillus flavusLink ex Gray, Infection of Aspergillus in the fishes was very common during present study. Infection of A. flavus categorically was more during November to December in Channa punctatus. However, those Fungi were reported even upto February. It was not reported in C. punctatus during April to June.   Aspergillus nigerVan Tieghem, Maximum average incidence i.e. 28% of A. niger was reported during the January in C. punctatus. It is noticed that no incidence of A. niger was observed during the month of April to June. Cladosporium cladosporidesLink ex Gray, C. cladosporidesinfection was reported from C. punctatus throughout the year except in May and June. C. cladosporides infection was more in October and November in C. punctatus. However, C. cladosporides infection was not recorded during March to June. Curvularia lunataBoedijn, The incidence of C. lunatainfection appears from the month of July in C. punctatus last up to month of March and February. Maximum average incidence of C. lunata was observed in October and January in C. punctatus. No infection of C. lunata was observed during April to June in C. punctatus during March to June.Table 2 Average incidence of infection by fungal species (%) on Channa punctatus during study period Sr. No Fungi Isolated Fungal species % per Month 
July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb March April May June 
1 Alternaria alternata 05 14.5 14.5 17.5 20 16 16 9.5 04 01 00 00 
2 Aphanomyces invadans 00 05 06 07 09 10 9.5 00 00 00 00 00 
3 Aspergillus flavus 05 10.5 18.5 18.5 24 26.5 22 20 05 00 00 00 
4 Aspergillus niger 7.5 15 20.5 22 25 25 28 20 10 00 00 00 
5 Cladosporium cladosporides 9.5 13.5 17 19 14.5 15 14 12 10 04 00 00 
6 Curvularia lunata 3.5 9.5 13.5 16.5 13.5 14 14 8.5 5.5 00 00 00 
7 Drechslera hawaiinsis 09 13 15 17.5 19.5 18 16 12 8.5 00 00 00 
8 Fusarium oxysporium 04 15 11.5 18 20 14 15 10 00 00 00 00 
9 Mucor mucedo 10 9.5 9.5 11 11 10 6.5 02 00 00 00 00 
10 Rhizopus stolonifer 8.5 11.5 10.5 14 12.5 16 15 9.5 05 00 00 00 
11 Saprolegnia parasitica 00 10 20 11.5 20 20 20 10 00 00 00 00 
International Research Journal of Biological Sciences ________________________________________________ ISSN 2278-3202   Vol. 3(11), 47-50, November (2014)  Int. Res. J. Biological SciInternational Science Congress Association 
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Drechslera hawaiinsisEllis, From the study of fungal incidence of D. hawaiinsis, it was observed that this fungus prevails throughout the year except April to June in C. punctatus. The maximum incidence 19.5 % was noted during the month of November.  Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtendahl, The incidence of Fusarium oxysporum infection was at the peak (20%) during November in C. punctatus. In Channa punctatusF. oxysporum  infection starts to appear from the month of July and it prevails only up to February, while no incidence of infection was observed during March. Mucor mucedoMicheli ex Saint-Amans, The infection of M. mucedo in C. punctatus was reported from July upto February. Maximum average incidence (11%) of M. mucedo was observed in the month of November in C. punctatus. However, the infection was increasing from September onwards upto January. No incidence of infections of M. mucedo was observed during March to June in the fishes. Rhizopus stoloniferEhrenberg ex Corda, The infection of R. stolonifer was reported from July to March in C. punctatus. The maximum average incidence (16 %) was observed in the month of December in C. punctatus. The maximum incidence of infection was 18 % during the month of December. Whereas in C. punctatus no incidence of fungus was observed April to June.Saprolegnia parasiticaCoker, During the present investigations Channa punctatus were found to be infected withSaprolegnia parasitica duringAugust to February. The maximum incidence of  Saprolegnia parasitica  was noted in the months of September and November to January and minimum incidence in the months August, October and February. The infection was not reported from March to July. Discussion: Fishes are totally dependent upon quality of water with respect to breathing, feeding, growth, excretion, maintenance of salt balance, and also for reproduction. Water quality is the first and most important limiting factor in existence of fish in any aquatic ecosystem. However pathogens of fish already stressed by disease, due to mechanical damage. The fungus can spread rapidly among fish population and the fungal spores dispersed with water currents12  For the first time Arderon reported fungal infection in fish during the mid eighteenth century13. Later on, some other workers reported several pathogenic Fungi from different species of fish and fish eggs14-19.  In India, the mycological studies were initiated and observed red spots on the body of Osphronemus gouramy caused by Saprolegnia species20. In the present investigation S. parasiticaand A. niger were found to be the most common water molds responsible for the fungal infections to fresh water fishes.Saprolegnia is found to be more virulent for fishes. The infection of Saprolegnia is termed as saprolegniasis21,22. Saprolegniosis constitute one of the most severe diseases causing problems in fish culture23,24.  The earlier studies reported that the Saprolegnia parasitica was most destructive 25. This finding confirms with the reports that theinfection caused by Saprolegnia parasitica inSalmon resulted mass mortality.  Saprolegnia is frequently found in freshwater ecosystems and is the main genus of Oomycetes responsible for fungal infections. Almost every freshwater fish is exposed to fungal infection at least one species during its lifetime. It may be due to ability of the fungus to tolerate wide range of temperature variations27-30. ConclusionThe incidences of fungal infections varied with fungal species and the season of the year. On comparing the fungal incidences, the highest prevalence of infection was in winter from November to January and the lowest during February to July. Retardation of the pathogenic potentiality of the water molds at higher temperature (more than 28°C), which cannot infect and require a certain period for multiplication. In the present investigation S. parasitica and A. niger were found to be the most common water molds responsible for the fungal infections to fresh water fishes. Saprolegnia is found to be more virulent for fishes. References 1.World Bank, India marine fisheries, issue opportunities and transition for sustainable developments Agriculture and rural development sector unit South Asia region, Report No. 54259, 109 (2010) 2.Refai M.K., Laila A. Mohamed, Amany M. Kenawy and Shimaa El-S M.A., The assessment of mycotic settlement of freshwater fishes in Egypt, Journal of American scienc, 6(11), 595-602 (2010) 3.Gopalakrishnan V., Controlling pests and diseases of cultured fishes, Indian Livstk, 1(1), 51-54 (1963) 4.Gopalakrishnan V., Recent developments in the prevention and control of Parasites of fishes cultured in Indian water, Proc. of Zoo. Soc. India,17(l), 85- 100 (1964) 5.Rahman M.M. and Chowdhury M.B.R., Isolation of bacterial pathogen causing an ulcer disease in farmed carp fishes of Mymensingh Bangladesh, Bangladesh Journal of fisheries,19, 103-110 (1996) 6.Chowdhury M.B.R., Involvement of Aeroimonads and Pseudomonads diseases of farmed fish in Bangladesh, Proceedings of the International Symposium on Diseases in Marine Aquaculture, Hiroshima, 3-6 October 1997, Gyobyo-Kenkyu, Fish Pathology, 33(4), 247-254 (1998) 
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