PARASITIC FAUNA OF THE TAILSPOT CLIMBING PERCH, Ctenopoma kingsleyae Gunther (1896), FROM RIVER OLUWA IN AGBABU, ONDO STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was carried out to search for possible ecto and endo parasites that infect Ctenopoma kingsleyae. A total of 30 live fish specimens were obtained from river Oluwa, in Agbabu Ondo State. Parasitological examination of the investigated fish samples revealed that, C. kingsleyae was infected with three (3) parasite species belonging to 3 genera. These include Chilodonella spp, Trichodina spp, and Tetrahymena spp. It was observed that, there were no endo – parasite in different internal organs (kidney, liver, intestine, stomach) of the fish samples examined. Parasites were found on the skin and gill only. No parasites were found in the stomach, intestine, kidney and liver. Parasites were more prevalent in the fish whose standard length size was 11.60cmand body weight of 72.88g. The study showed that in River Oluwa in Agbabu, the preferred organs of parasites infection were the skin and gill. The prevalence of parasitic infection in this study was 3.33%.