Microscopy - Based Surveillance of Ectoparasites in Farmed African Catfish from Selected Farms in Lokoja, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.70882/josrar.2026.v3i5.267Keywords:
African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, Ectoparasites, Fish Farm, Nigeria, Skin-Scrape MicroscopyAbstract
Parasitic disease constrains aquaculture productivity, yet farm-level surveillance of African catfish in north-central Nigeria remains limited. This study estimated the occurrence of ectoparasitic organisms on the skin of cultured Clarias gariepinus from three farms in Lokoja and examined exploratory host correlates. In this cross-sectional pilot survey, 60 live fish (20 per farm) were selected and transported to Federal University Lokoja. Sex, standard length, total length, and body mass were recorded. Unidirectional skin scrapes were examined as saline wet mounts by light microscopy at 100× and 400× total magnification. Prevalence was calculated using standard ecological definition and binomial 95% confidence intervals were computed with the Wilson method. Nine fish samples were positive with an overall prevalence of 15.0% (95% CI 8.1-26.1%). A total of nine organismal observations were made, comprising a ciliate; I. multifiliis (5.0%; 95% CI 1.7-13.7%) which was detected in three fish, and the copepod; Ergasilus (10.0%; 95% CI 4.7-20.1%) which was detected in six fish samples. Farm-specific prevalence was 20.0% (4/20; 95% CI 8.1- 41.6%) at each of two farms and 5.0% (1/20; 95% CI 0.9-23.6%) at the third. Seven of 33 males (21.2%) and two of 27 females (7.4%) were positive, the difference was however, not statistically significant (Fisher’s exact p≈0.17). Mean condition factor ranged from 0.83 to 0.94 across farms. It could be concluded there is a low burden ectoparasitic prevalence (15.0%) in cultured African catfish in Lokoja municipality. The findings inform the recommendation of routine farm surveillance, including regular monitoring of water quality and DNA-based confirmation tests in future studies.
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