Dermocystidiosis induced by the parasite Dermocystidium sp. in the ornamental fish Paracheirodon axelrodi

PLAUL SE; ANDRES LAUBE PF; MONTES MM; TOPA E; MARTORELLI SR; BARBEITO, CLAUDIO G.

BULLETIN OF THE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF FISH PATHOLOGISTS

EUR ASSOC FISH PATHOLOGISTS

Año: 2018 vol. 38 p. 73 - 78

0108-0288

The Rio Negro floodplain (tributary of the Amazon River) is a natural habitat of the ornamental fish Paracheirodon axelrodi, affected by the protist Dermocystidium belonging to the Mesomycetozoea. Protist cysts were located in the dermis causing lesions reaching the epidermis. Haemorrhagic areas in the dermis and muscle were observed, as well as mild vascular congestion. We observed that a few weeks after the introduction of wild ornamental fish into established home aquaria, thecardinal tetra fish became infected, suggesting that they could have acted as asymptomatic carriers.