Abstract
A study was conducted to compare the effects of two chemical therapeutants on channel catfish (CCF) Ictalurus punctatus concurrently infected with Flavobacterium columnare and Ichthyobodo necator. Copper sulfate (CuSO4) and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) were investigated for their ability to reduce the bacterial load, parasite load, and subsequent mortality. Treatment rates of CuSO4 or KMnO4 were 2.1 mg/L and 3.0 mg/L, respectively, and were applied at 24 h intervals on three consecutive days and control fish were untreated. Fin and gill samples were taken on day 4 (24 h after the final treatment) and day 10 (one week after the final treatment) for quantification of parasite and bacterial load. The survival rate of CuSO4-treated fish (73.0 %) was significantly different from the untreated control fish (41.5%). KMnO4-treated fish was (53.6%) and not significantly different from untreated control or CuSO4-treated fish. I. necator loads were significantly reduced by both CuSO4 and KMnO4, but only CuSO4 significantly reduced the F. columnare load.