ABSTRACT: Juvenile channel catfish Ictaluruspunctatus, 10% of which had a natural, latent infection of Edwardsiellaictaluri, were held in water at 15 +/- 2*C. Following elevation of the water temperature to 25*C for 28 d, 77% died with clinical E. ictaluri infections. This level of mortality was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than mortality attributable to E. ictaluri when the water temperature was raised to 18*C (10%) or to 30*C (23%). Channel catfish naturally infected with E. ictaluri were exposed to 0, 100, 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg l^-1 NaCl at 25*C for 28 d. Mortalities of channel catfish held in NaCl concentrations of 0 and 100 mg l^-1 (100% and 96% respectively) were significantly higher than those held in NaCl concentrations of 1000, 2000, and 3000 mg l^-1 (33, 43, and 17%, respectively).

KEY WORDS: Channel catfish . Bacteria . Salt . Temperature . Edwardsiellaictaluri

Published in DAO Vol. 21, No. 3 (1995) on March 30
ISSN: 0177-5103. Copyright © Inter-Research, Oldendorf/Luhe, 1995