A survey of ecto and intestinal parasites of Tilapia Zillii (Gervias) in Tiga lake, Kano, northern Nigeria

Abstract

One thousand eight hundred specimens of Tilapia zillii (Gervias) from Tiga Lake, Kano, Northern Nigeria were examined using hand lens and microscope between July, 2007 and June 2008 for parasites , 782 (53.4%) of these were infected. Parasites recovered were, Clinostomum spp. 74 4.1%) Procamellanus spp. 111 (6.1%), and Protozoa Cyst 198 (11.0%). Adult fishes were more infected than the juvenile, females were significantly more infected (P <0.05). Infection increases with length and body weight. Physio-chemical parameter of the lake was good and infection rate was high wet season and low in dry season. The presence of these parasites might elicit some pathological effects on the fish by retarding their growth, causing tissue description and even death.

Keywords: Ectoparasites, Endoparasites, Tillapia zilli, Tiga, Kano