Prevalence and Ecological Impact of Parasitic Infections in Farmed Cyprinus carpio and Oreochromis niloticus in Southern Iraq

Abstract

Infestation of pathogenic infections or parasites in aquaculture is a great challenge to fish health, productivity and sustainability, and hence to the economic loss of the aquaculture sector. The purpose of the present study is to diagnose these pathogens in common carp and Nile tilapia because it is among the most common organisms in the southern environment of Iraq, which may be one of the factors of the disease infections spreading and also to observe the impacts of sustainable aquaculture management. The standard microscopic techniques were used to do a parasitic analysis. In the present research, it was revealed that the incidence rate was so high in the tilapia fish 35.8 relative to common carp 24.6. Infection was apportioned as follows of the parasitic population of the cope pods Ergasilus mosulensis, protozoa came next 17% in carp, 16% in tilapia and monogenes 31% in carp, and 29% in tilapia. The parasitic load of Nile tilapia that was evident even under the relatively stable conditions implies that fish can be a storage host, and this can influence integrated culture systems. The result also confirms health oriented and adaptive aquaculture activities that can facilitate the Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Underwater) such as selective breeding with emphasis on resistance, parasite surveillance, and restriction of few rules as regards the use of chemicals.