Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development
Open Access

Abstract

This study reported the first isolation and identification of Tenacibaculum maritimum (T. maritimum) in Egypt from Picasso triggerfish (Rhinecanthus assasi) and Black damselfish (Neoglyphieodon meles) in the indoor aquarium of National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF) in Hurghada. The disease onset started after exposing the fish to catching and indoor rearing stress, the diseased fish manifested off food, lethargic and had external body lesions in the form hemorrhagic ulcers, ulcerated mouth and fin rot, in addition to 55 and 65% mortalities rate among the two fish species respectively. The pathogen was recovered from the body surface lesions and internal organs of the examined fish. Eleven isolates were isolated and identified as T. maritimum on the basis of morphological and cultural characters, API20E system tests and conventional biochemical tests. It is pathogenic strain caused clinical signs such as lethargic, off food and body surface lesions as white areas with hemorrhagic ulcers on all experimentally infected fish and 60% mortality. The experimentally infected fish could be treated by repetitive enrofloxacin at rate 30 ppm immersion bath for 1 h during three consecutive days.

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