Treatment options for Uronema

[Humblefish]

** This information was originally posted here: https://humble.fish/community/index.php?threads/treatment-options-for-uronema.141/ **

Different species than the one usually found on chromis, anthias, and other SW fish (Uronema marinum).

But this study found that formalin, malachite green and hydrogen peroxide were all effective against Uronema nigricans during in vitro trials.

Environmental factors and chemical agents affecting the growth of the pathogenic marine ciliate Uronema nigricans

ABSTRACT. The scuticociliate Uronema nigricans is an opportunistically parasitic marine ciliate known to cause disease in some aquacultural environments with epizootics documented from marine larval rearing systems, marine aquaria and in southern bluefin tuna Thunnus macoyii growout enclosures. This study examined growth responses of laboratory cultures of the ciliate and prey bacteria to variations in temperature and salinity, and the efficacy of potential chemotherapeutants for control of U. nigricans infections. Differences in ciliate growth responses were marginal at temperatures of 10 to 25 degrees C and at salinities between 15 and 35 ppt, though 3.5 ppt or less was lethal. Ciliates were found to be sensitive to fluctuations in bacterial densities, which may be a factor in the seasonal occurrence of the ciliate-related disease in tuna. Commonly used chemotherapeutants such as formalin, malachite green and hydrogen peroxide were all effective against the ciliate during in vitro trials.

Source: https://www.int-res.com/articles/dao/36/d036p213.pdf

Highlights:

• The most effective concentrations of formalin were 100 and 200 ppm where total cell lysis occurred after 120 and 60 min respectively. (Most fish can tolerate up to 250 ppm for 60 minutes.)
• Hydrogen peroxide was lethal to the ciliate at all concentrations. There was slight variation in cell response between each concentration 30 min after treatment, but mortality was complete for all after 60 min. With this compound morphological changes occurred within 10 min of cessation of motility in the majority of cells. (Dosage range tested was 250 - 2000 ppm which has NOT been successfully tested on live fish.)
• Malachite green was also lethal at each concentration used although there was some variation at 1 ppm with cells surviving after 180 min for 1 trial. Higher concentrations, i.e. 4, 6 and 8 ppm, all resulted in total mortality within 20 min. (Fish should only be exposed to Malachite Green at concentrations of 0.05 ppm - 0.15 ppm.)

Conclusions: Since the concentrations tested for Hydrogen peroxide and Malachite green were ABOVE the safe limits for fish, only formalin should be used at 200 ppm for 60 mins in order to eliminate Uronema.