Dennis A. Thoney, PhD
Monogenean parasites are usually well accommodated to their fish hosts in
nature; however, they frequently cause severe epizootics in cultured or aquarium held
populations. The short, direct, one-host life cycles of monogeneans enable them to reach
epizootic levels quickly when hosts and parasites are confined closely together. Further,
debilitating attacks by these helminths may be accompanied by invasions of viruses, bacteria,
and fungi. Monogeneans of the superfamily Microcotyloidea cause mortality in aquaculture and
public aquariums. They attach to gill filaments within the protected habitat of the opercular
cavity making them much harder to dislodge than other monogeneans that infest skin. Thus far,
attempts to eliminate infestations of microcotyloidean monogeneans in culture have not been
very successful. Infestations of Microcotyle hiatuiae on the gills of tautog, Tautoga
onita provided a model for testing the effects of praziquantel, mebendazole, flubendazole,
formalin, and copper sulphate on adult monogeneans, oncomiracidia, and eggs. Of the chemicals
tested in vitro, praziquantel and formalin were the most effective against adult worms.
Eggs are extremely resistant; however, long term treatment with copper sulphate was found to be
the most effective. Sanaqua and calcium hypochloride were also tested as disinfectants. Results
from several other monogenean species also are compared.