Protozoan Parasites in A Cold Water Cyprinid Fish Schizothorax Niger from Kashmir Himalayas

The present study was aimed to isolate protozoan parasites infecting the cold water native carp belonging to Subfamily Schizothoracines collected from fresh water ecosystems of Kashmir Himalayas. Out of 373 specimens collected from two locations i.e Dal and Wullar Lake 81 specimens of S. niger were found to be infected with parasites belonging to the Phylum Ciliophora with a prevalence of 21.71%. Trichodina heterodentata Duncan, 1977 with a prevalence of 60%, Ichthyophtheirius multifilis Fouquet, 1876 with a prevalence of 34.92% and Chilodinella uncinata Ehrenberg, 1838 with a prevalence rate of 26.15% were recorded from gills of S. niger at two locations i.e Dal Lake and Wullar Lake. Species diversity was found to be greater in Dal Lake. During this study no infection was recorded from other cold water fishes collected such as S.esocinus, S.curvifrons and S.richardsonii. Clinical signs revealed mucous laden gills. The histological observations indicate that the present parasites results in a wide range of deleterious changes ranging from hypertrophy and hyperplasia of gill epithelium to fusion of secondary gill lamellae.