ABSTRACT
Catfish, more specifically channel catfish, are the most extensively cultured fish in the US There are three major bacterial infections of cultured catfish: columnaris is one of the most common diseases; enteric septicemia of catfish is most often found in channel catfish but occasionally occurs in other species; and motile Aeromonas septicemia. Columnaris is an acute to chronic infectious skin disease of fish, especially channel catfish. Synonyms of columnaris include cotton wool and mouth fungus. Clinical signs of columnaris are easily recognized and differ little between species. Columnaris disease has an interesting epizootiological pattern. It may occur as a primary infection without any significant stress to the host or, it may occur as a secondary pathogen as the result of stressful environmental conditions or trauma. Motile Aeromonas septicemia (MAS) is associated with infections caused by motile members of the genus Aeromonas. MAS-infected fish will lose their appetite, become lethargic, and swim lazily at the surface.
