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Glugea anomala
Tim Addis wrote:
>
>I have heard that the Nothobranchius ailment of a
>burrowing worm which, in its later stages burrows
>to the stomach wall & causes white lumps on the
>sides was originally started off by putting fish in
>outdoor ponds. I have known a few people get it
>& have had to strip down there fish houses as it
>is supposed to be transfered on the egg shell.
>Has anyone heard anything about this & is it true.
>I understand diluted formalin used to wash the eggs works.
>
Firstly, this is not a "burrowing worm" but a microsporidian protozoal
parasite called Glugea anomala, as I pointed out in an article I wrote for
the BKA Killi-News (No. 397, October, 1998) in response to a statement,
similar to the above, that Tim Addis had made in "Fish-house Diaries"
column.
Secondly, as I also pointed out in that article, experiments aimed at
testing the usefulness of formalin to disinfect the eggs were not conclusive
and, in any case, would probably not have been practical. There are reports
in the literature of various treatments that have been applied on an
experimental basis to eradicate this parasite (from Sticklebacks mainly)
but, so far as I can tell, none of these studies were conclusive, nor were
the treatments very practical for the hobbyist. As always, one of the main
problems is establishing the level of dosage that will effectively kill the
parasite and not the host.
__________________________________________
Brian R. Watters
University of Regina
Regina, Saskatchewan S4S 0A2, Canada
Ph: (306) 584-9161 (home); (306) 585-4663 (work)
Fax: (306) 585-5433
E-mail: bwatters at sk_sympatico.ca