Comparative Study on the Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Parasite between Wild and Pond Raised African Sharptooth Catfish Clarias gariepinus in Akwa Ibom State

A comparative study on the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites of Clarias gariepinus in selected location in Oron and Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, Nigeria. A total of one hundred (100) samples were used, fifty (50) each from the wild and concrete pond. The wild samples were collected from fishermen in oron river, while pond samples were collected in Dominta farm in Uyo. Both location samples were examined for gastrointestinal parasite using standard scientific methods. The parasite obtained where nematode, cestode, and trematode. The research revealed that all the fish samples were infected with at least one of these parasites. Samples from concrete pond had 38%, 24% and 10% of nematode, cestode and trematode respectively while samples from the wild had a prevalence of 34%,24, and 18% of nematode, cestode and trematode. Samples from the river and pond revealed that there was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite. Parasitic infection is a great hinderance to fish growth and therefore have adverse effects on fish productivity. Hence fish farmers should be sensitized about the presence and the effects of gastrointestinal parasite in the aquatic ecosystem. Communities should be enlightened about disposal of waste in the natural water bodies which increases the level of intermediate host that harbors this parasite.