CRACKED HEAD DISEASE IN AFRICAN CATFISH (CLARIAS GARIEPINUS)
IN EGYPT
El- Bouhy, Z. M. 1;
El-Gamal, R. M. 2;
Diab, A. S. 3 and Fadel, A. H 4
1 Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University.
2, 3 and 4 Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Central Laboratory For Aquaculture Research, Abbassa, Abu Hammad, Sharkia.
Received 6/ 5/ 2010 Accepted 15/ 6/ 2010
Abstract
Three hundred and sixty apparently healthy Clarias gariepinus fingerlings with an average of 6.04 g. were divided into two groups; group1 (Good water quality G1) & group2 (bad water quality G2) with (6 treatments: 0&25&50&75&100&200 mg/k.g. Ascorbic Acid AA) for each one, to be used for nonstressed treatments (G1) and the other as a stressed (G2). Each of the six dietary treatments was fed for 20 weeks in a glass aquarium with a fixed feeding regime of 4% body weight per day. In both groups C. gariepinus fed the basal diet and the diet supplemented with 25 mg AA/ kg diet showed signs of Cracked head disease. In both groups, Weights Gain (WG), Specific Growth Rates (SGR) Feed Conversion Rates (FCR) and Feed Efficiency Ratio (FER) were significant between control group and those with varying levels of vitamin C. The vertebral collagen content & liver and plasma Ascorbic Acid concentration of G1 was significantly higher than that of G2. This is the first record to diagnosis of
Cracked head disease in Egypt.
