Fish farming is becoming an increasingly popular agricultural activity, and water quality in these environments is a major concern. Fish parasites, such as monogeneans, respond to changes in abiotic conditions, either with an increase or decrease in population. This study aimed to identify gill monogeneans and analyse their relationships with abiotic factors during the ontogenetic development of Nile tilapia over the fish culture cycle in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Fish were sampled monthly for eight months, and a total of 200 fish were collected. The physical and chemical water parameters were measured and correlated with the abundance of each monogenean species. Over the fish culture cycle, the physical and chemical parameters fluctuated, and the water quality decreased. The parasites found included Cichlidogyrus tilapiae, Cichlidogyrus thurstonae, Cichlidogyrus sclerosus, Cichlidogyrus halli and Scutogyrus longicornis. The abundances of all species showed significant differences during ontogenetic development (body size) and C. tilapiae, C. sclerosus, C. thurstonae and S. longicornis were correlated with changes in abiotic conditions. However, C. halli was not significantly correlated with any of the evaluated physical or chemical parameters. Understanding how different monogenean species respond to changes in the physical and chemical parameters of water during a production cycle can prevent peaks in abundance and subsequent sanitary problems.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.