Field Trials of Febantel against Gill Fluke Disease Caused by the Monogenean Heterobothrium okamotoi in Cultured Tiger Puffer Takifugu rubripes

Abstract

We conducted six field trials on the efficacy of febantel against the monogenean Heterobothrium okamotoi infecting cultured tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes at four sites in Kumamoto and Ehime, Japan. From 2,500 to 4,500 one-year-old tiger puffers per experiment group were used in these trials, in which tiger puffer were orally administrated febantel at 12.5 or 25 mg/kg fish/day for 5 days. The maximum rate of worm eradication was 80.9%. However, a large difference was observed in the eradication rate between the experiment groups. We observed no adverse effect of febantel such as decreased appetite or increased mortality on the experimental fish.