Fungal infection of culture shrimp in Bushehr, southern Iran

Abstract

In an attempt to assess the shrimp culture management in the south of Iran, we collected samples of the cultured shrimp in two farms during the year 1999, and examined them macroscopically and microscopically. We identified 16 species of fungus infecting the shrimps mostly in outer body layers and the gills and also detected hemolymphatic infection with the fungus in a few cases. In all cases, the Penicillium species was the most abundant fungus and the ponds showed a significant difference in the amount of fungal flora contaminating them (p<0.05). We found that the contaminating fungus species were all opportunistic, appearing as a result of stress occurred to the cultured shrimp, water muddiness, low dissolved oxygen concentration and putrefying food left unused at the bottom of the culture ponds. These were all considered to be related to the pond management.