Traditional isolation of fungal species in fish culture ponds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63001/tbs.2025.v20.i01.pp114-124Keywords:
Aquaculture ponds,, Water contamination,, Mycotic infections,, IraqAbstract
Background: In Iraq, fish ponds have increasingly grown in last decade as important source of protein to
maintaining of human healthy; however, contamination of water is a serious threat to aquaculture systems
causing severe economic losses.
Aim: Traditional identification of the main fungal pathogens in fish ponds existed in different areas in Wasit
province (Iraq)
Materials and methods: Totally, 148 water samples were collected equally from 37 fish ponds located in five
main areas (Al-Kut, Al-Suwaira, Al-Aziziyah, Al-Numaniyah, and Al-Hay) in Wasit province (Iraq) during June-July
(2024). Then, all samples were filtered, cultured using three different media; Sabouraud Cycloheximide
Chloramphenicol Agar, Potato Dextrose Agar, and Malt Extract Agar, and the grown colonies of fungal isolates
were purified and characterized morphologically and microscopically.
Results: An overall 75.68% water samples and 83.78% of fish ponds were showed contaminated with at least one
fungus. Regarding study areas, fungal contamination of water samples was increased significantly in Al-Hay and
decreased significantly in Al-Numaniyah and Al-Suwaira; whereas in fish ponds of study areas, significant
increases of fungal contamination was shown in Al-Aziziyah, Al-Numaniyah, Al-Hay, and Al-Kut; but decreased in
Al-Suwaira. Also, a total of 12 different species and genera were detected among the study samples, which
involving 382 fungal colonies; in which, significant increases were reported in Aspergillus niger and Penicillium
sp.; while significant decreases were seen in Trichophyton mentagrophytres, Helminthosporium sp., Mucor sp.,
and Trichoderma sp. when compared to values of other fungal colonies; Cladosporium sp., Rhizopus stolonifer,
Microsporium cani, Fusarium solani, Candida albicans, and Alternaria alternate. Among study areas, significant
increases of fungal colonies were detected in Al-Kut and reduced in Al-Aziziyah. In relation to each area,
significant increases in percentage of fungal colonies were seen in Helminthosporium sp. in Al-Kut; Alternaria
alternate in Al-Suwaira; Trichophyton mentagrophytres in Al-Aziziyah; Trichoderma sp. in Al-Numaniyah; and
Fusarium solani and Microsporium cani in Al-Hay.
Conclusions: Our findings revealed the presence of apparent fungal contamination in fish ponds existed in Wasit
province suggesting the importance of national studies to investigating and controlling the fungal contamination
and their diseases to ensure continued high-quality growth of fish in aquaculture production industry.