Flagellata - Oodinium

Popular Name
Velvet disease
Gold dust
Rust disease
The disease manifests as numerous fine spots
on the fish's skin, fins and gills. Each tiny spot
is
a single parasite that appears green-yellow
when viewed under bright light
dinoflagellata

Classification
PHYLUM : Protozoa
KLAS
: Flagelata / Sarcomastigophora
ORDO : Dirofirida
GENUS : Oodinium / Oodinia
SPESIES : 1. Oodinium pilularis
2. Oodinium ocellatum (marine fish)
3. Oodinium cyprinodontum
4. Oodinium limmeticum

 Ectoparasite
microscopic
dinoflagellata
Size : 50-70 m (O.
limneticum, O.
vastotor > 100 m)
Pear shaped

Contain a form
chlorophyll : produce
nutrient ; typical
gold/rust colour
Marine oodinium dont
have chloroplast
Nucleus, 12 m in
diameter
2 flagella, one is
longer than other

Differ from Ich

Host & Predilection

Wide host range
Oodinium
inlandicum
Chaetognath
(marine worm)
Zebrafish,guppy,koi
O. cyprinodontum :
Fundulus majalis
Skin, gill, eye, fin

Morphology of Oodinium,
Amylodinium
Parasitic stage
(trophont) is
spherical or pyriform
cytoplasm is foamy
in appearance due to
presence of small
granules or droplets
attachment via rootlike rhizoids

Life Cycle
1. The trophont : attack
to & feed on fish gill
& epithelial tissue
2. Tomont : undergoes
division on the
substrate
3. Dinospore : a free
swimming, infective
dinospore
Attachment is facilitated by rootlike
Structure
rhizoid, as
anchor

The life cycle is

completed in ten
to fourteen days
at a temperature
of 23 to 25
degrees.

 Life cycle : depend on temperature, pH,

lightning
can use its chloroplasts during
dormancy to survive
temperature 23-250C, pH 7, bright
lightning : optimal for parasite
Full life cycle : 8-10 days
temperature <220C
parasite multiply
more rapidly

Pathogenesis (1)

Pathogenesis (2)
Invisible at every stage
more
insidious than Ich
Hardier & more resistant to
treatment
Moves faster than Ich

Chlinical signs

depend on the severity of the

infection

Similar with Ich, the spots are much

finer &
appear gold or light brown
often
concentrated
around the gills

 During the beginning of the infection,

the affected fish will show some
behavioral changes, like fin twitching
or body rubbing.
As it advances, the skin of the sick
fish becomes dusty and opaque due
to the excess of mucus that their
immune system generates as a
defense mechanism.

Chlinical
Signs

Opaque eyes
Ulcers in the skin
Skin detachment
Exophthalmia
Not eating (Loss of appetite)
Swimming with mouth open

Treatment

Raisewater temperature
Dim lights for several days
Add aquarium salt
Treat with copper sulphate for ten
days (Stop Dinospore)

Prevention
The parasite can be latent, waiting for a
favorable condition. When the fish are
weakened, the disease then attacks. When the
fish are stressed, they weaken.
Stress can also be due to poor maintenance
conditions of the water or abrupt changes of
temperature when making the water
replacements.
Parasite cysts can also enter through sick new
fish or through infected objects. To further
prevent this, make sure you quarantine any
new fish or objects and ensure hygiene before
introducing them to the tank.