Identification of Saprolegnia in selected Indian major carps cultured in an eutrophic pond

Aquaculture plays a vital role in many countries by offering better nutrition, higher income, foreign exchange and better employment opportunities. Aquatic ecosystems are affected by several health stressors that significantly deplete biodiversity. Fungal infection is an important economic and limiting factor in intensive fish production. Microbial quality of farmed fish is largely determined by the quality of water in which they are cultivated. Aquatic fungal diseases are more acute in cold water than in warm water culture and may be aggravated by the unfavourable conditions, i.e., over-crowding, malnutrition and unstable temperature. Therefore, a study was attempted to estimate the physio-chemical parameters of pond water and pathogenic fungi in different tissues of the cultured freshwater carps.