Data from: Fingerling stocking size has no influence on proliferative gill disease severity in farm-raised channel catfish (<i>I</i><i>ctalurus punctatus</i>)

Through discussions with industry stakeholders, the question was raised about whether stocking larger catfish fingerings could reduce losses associated with Henneguya ictaluri, the myxozoan responsible for proliferative gill disease (PGD). To evaluate this, a collaborative study between the USDA-ARS Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit, University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, and St. George's University (Granada, West Indies) was conducted. Two sizes of channel catfish fingerlings (40 lbs/1000 [small] and 120 lbs/1000 [large]) were stocked into net pens and placed in commercial catfish ponds with varying levels of PGD activity. Following a 7-day pond exposure, mortality was assessed, and all surviving fish used to evaluate gill damage and sub-lethal effects in relation to H. ictaluri loads in the gill tissue and water samples.

Funding for the research comes from USDA-ARS Project 6066-31000-016-000D, and the USDA-ARS-funded Mississippi State University Catfish Health Initiative (Project No. 6066-31320-006-000D).