Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Nematodes¹

Deborah B. Pouder, Eric W. Curtis, and Roy P.E. Yanong²

Please note: The pictures are available only in the "Printer Friendly Version" (PDF) of this guide. The following parasites are pictured: Camallanus, Capillaria, Contracaecum, and Eustrongylides.

Introduction

This publication is one in a series of pictorial guides that is designed to assist in the identification of common freshwater fish parasites. The publications included in this series are:

Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Sessile Ciliates
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Motile Ciliates
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Dinoflagellates, Coccidia, Microsporidians, & Myxozoans
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Monogeneans
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Digenean Trematodes
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Nematodes
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Acanthocephalans, Cestodes, Leeches, & Pentastomes
Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Crustaceans

The information provided in this guide is not intended to be a complete, detailed description of each parasite or parasite group and its characteristics but rather is intended to assist in the visual identification of some of the most common species or groups of parasites seen in freshwater fish. For further information on each parasite, refer to publications in the “Recommended Reading” and “Reference” sections below.

Guide Information

Target Tissue: provides the location on/in the fish where the parasite is most commonly found.
Characteristic: provides a brief description about the appearance of the parasite.
Size: provides the size or size range of the parasite. (1 µm = 0.001 mm = 0.0001 cm) (µm = micron or micrometer; mm = millimeter; cm = centimeter)
Movement: provides the type of movement, if any, of the parasite.
Note: provides a brief comment of interest about the parasite.

Printing Tips

For the best results as a pictorial guide, print this document in color on photo quality paper at a photo or “best” setting.

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Jennifer Matysczak for the photographs she contributed to this publication.

References

Bergmann, G.T. and P.J. Motta. 2004. Infection by anisakid nematodes Contracaecum spp. in the Mayan cichlid fish 'Cichlasoma (Nandopsis)' urophthalmus (Günther 1862). Journal of Parasitology 90(2):405-407.

Hoffman, G.L. 1999. Parasites of North American freshwater fishes. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.

Lewbart, G.A. 1998. Self-assessment color review of ornamental fish. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.

Longshaw, M. and S.W. Feist. 2001. Parasitic diseases. Pages 167-183 in W.H. Wildgoose, editor. BSAVA manual of ornamental fish, second edition. British Small Animal Veterinary Association, Gloucester, England.

Moravec, F. 1983. Some remarks on the biology of Capillaria pterophylli Heinze, 1993. Folia Parasitologica (Praha) 30:129-130.

Noga, E.J. 1996. Fish disease: diagnosis and treatment. Mosby-Yearbook, Inc., St. Louis, MO.

Roberts, R.J., editor. 1989. Fish pathology, 2nd edition. Bailliere Tindall, London.

Stoskopf, M.K. 1993. Fish medicine. W.B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, PA.

Woo, P.T.K., editor. 1995. Fish diseases and disorders, volume 1: protozoan and metazoan infections. CAB International, Wallingford, United Kingdom.

Footnotes

1. This document is Fact Sheet FA-113, one of a series from the Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. First published: July 2005. Please visit the EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.

2. Deborah B. Pouder, Coordinator of Research Programs and Services; Eric W. Curtis, former Biological Scientist, and Roy P.E. Yanong, Associate Professor, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, Ruskin, FL 33570, Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.

Common Freshwater Fish Parasites Pictorial Guide: Nematodes1