The ciliated protozoan Chilodonella cyprini is described. Chilodon parasitizes the body, gills and fins of fishes. The infusoria produce irritation of the integument and strengthened mucous secretion. The sparse knowledsge of the ecology of chilodon is summarised and some advice on the struggle against cholodoniasis in carp given

Bauer, O. N.

English

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Freshwater Biological Association 
FBA Translation (New Series) No. 103 
Title: Chilodonella cyprini (Moroff, 1902) 
In: "Ekologiya parasitov presnovodnykh ryb," 
Author(s) BAUER O.N. (1959) 
Reference: Izv.gos.nauchno-issled.Inst.ozern.rechn.rybn.Khoz. 49, 25-28 
Original language: Russian 
Date of publication of original: 1959 
Translator: J.E.M. HORNE 
Date of publication of translation: August, 1977 
Number of pages of translation: 4 pages 
FBA Translations are to be considered as "provisional". As a rule 
they have not been prepared by expert translators, nor have they 
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F.B.A. Translation (New Series) No. 103 
Chilodonella cyprini (Moroff, 1902) 
In: "Ekologiya parasitov presnovodnykh ryb," 
BAUER O.N. (1959) 
Izv.gos.nauchno-issled.Inst.ozern.rechn.rybn.Khoz. 49, 25-28 
Translated by: J.E.M. HORNE 
Chilodonella cyprini (Moroff, 1902) 
Like Ichthyophthirius, chilodon is characterized by a very weakly-marked 
specificity. It can be identified on all freshwater fishes, including 
sturgeon. However, in the latter chilodon is found only on the young 
(Dubinin, 1952). In the normal commercial water-bodies the parasite is 
encountered rarely and in single cases. Only with congestion of fish, 
especially with artificial rearing, do conditions arise contributing to 
a sharp increase in its numbers. At this intensity, the infection can be so 
significant that it covers the fish with a continuous layer. 
The distribution of chilodon is extremely wide. They range over all 
the Holarctic. According to the data of Chen Chi-Liu (1955), the parasite 
has been identified in the pond farms of China, i.e. its area ranges over 
the Sino-Indian region. It has practical importance only in artificial rearing 
and aquarium maintenance of fishes. 
In the literature are described numerous cases of the death of young 
trout (Schaperclaus, 1935), fingerling carp (Markevich, 1933} Krasheninnikov, 
1939f Golovkov & Abrosov, 1952) and other fishes, reared in ponds, brought 
about by massive infection with chilodon. 
Chilodon parasitizes the body, gills and fins of fishes. The infusoria 
produce irritation of the integument and strengthened mucous secretion. In 
connection with this, with a massive infection the surface of the fish is 
covered with a bluish deposit of mucus. The parasite is fed by protruding the 
pharynx, furnished with a rod-bearing apparatus, and drawing off with its help 
the contents of individual cells of the host. Reproduction is accomplished 
by transverse fission. Sexual processes have not been definitely ascertained, 
although there are superficial references to the presence of conjugation 
(Kiernik, 1909; Krasheninnikov, 1939). For a long time the question of the 
capability for cyst-formation by chilodon remained obscure. A series of 
authors (Kiernik, 1909} Schaperclaus, 1935) assumed this capability, but 
sufficiently precise observations on this question were lacking. By us 
(Bauer & Nikol'skaya, 1957) and also by I.I. Bespalyi (1957), the existence 
2 
of cyst-formation in C. cyprini was confirmed. It was established that in the 
presence of adverse conditions, chiefly during separation from the host, 
large specimens of chilodon were able to form resting cysts} the latter 
are able to survive for a prolonged period on the bed of a pond and in 
open water (fig. 2). After the penetration of cysts into the gill 
chamber of the fish the membrane of it dissolves and the infusoria change 
over to a parasitic form of life. Thus, the life cycle of C. cyprini is 
made up of a parasitic phase, during which asexual reproduction takes place, 
and possibly also conjugation, and a resting phase, providing survival 
for the parasite. 
Knowledge of the ecology of chilodon is fairly sparse. It was established 
that the duration of the active state of the parasite external to the fish 
depends on the temperature. At a low temperature (3 - 5°) individual 
examples maintain activity up to 24 hours and more. At 20° and above the 
basic mass of parasites dies within an hour. Its most active division takes 
place at 5 - 10°. At 20° division practically ceases. 
Sunlight also appears to be a factor limiting numbers of childon on 
fish. Many experiments showed that with irradiation of the aquarium the 
infectiousness to fish of chilodon was gradually eliminated (Bauer & 
Nikol'skaya, 1957). 
A decisive influence on the numbers of chilodon is the physiological state, 
and, primarily, the fatness [condition] of the fish. The first to pay attention 
to this was V. Schaperclaus (1935). He established that especially strongly 
infected were trout fry which for some kind of reason had not taken food and 
were distinguished by low fatness. Starvation of the fish more quickly only 
affects the tissues most distant from the gut, for example the skin. As a 
result, dying-off of the cells of the skin epithelium ensues. Such dying 
tissue also appears the most favourable substratum for multiplication of the 
parasite. Schaperclaus characterizes chilodoniasis as an illness associated 
with dystrophy. 
A.S. Chechina (1952) supported this conclusion extremely convincingly. 
She established that with more fattened fingerling carp during only the period 
of wintering there were significantly less parasites than with the less fattened. 
At the end of wintering on the latter there were 5 times more infusoria than on 
the well fattened. 
We also arrived at much the same conclusions (Strelkov & Bauer, 1957), 
investigating the infectiousness of chilodon to sea trout fry raised in floating 
nurseries of the fish-rearing station of Keila-Ioa. On the small fry with a 
mean weight of 116 mg were found on the average 113 infusoria, and on the large, 
3 
weighing 273 mg, only 15 parasites. 
The struggle against cholodoniasis in carp wintering ponds must go 
mainly by means of raising big well-fattened fingerling carp and maintaining 
their fatness during the winter period. Fingerlings must feed up in the 
autumn after their placing in the wintering ponds, and also in the spring after 
the melting of the ice (Shcherbina & Il'in, 1950). In the wintering ponds 
with comparatively high temperature (4 - 5°), supplementary feeding of 
fingerlings during the whole winter is recommended. For assurance of feeding 
of the fingerlings in the wintering ponds, it is possible to produce in them 
natural food by the method of zonal fertilization (Isakova-Keo, 1952). 
Considering the greater increase of winter-hardiness, and a lesser degree 
of infection by chilodon, of the eastern carp and its hybrids with carp, it is 
recommended in the northern zone of carp-breeding, and also with cold wintering 
ponds in the farms of other zones, to breed hybrid forms. 
Of great importance in the struggle with chilodoniasis is the passage of 
fish-planting material through prophylactic baths. The most inexpensive 
appear to be baths of 5% solution of cooking salt for 5 minutes, recommended 
by A.K. Shcherbina (1939). Such baths completely kill the infusoria and are 
easily endured by fingerling and yearling carp. 
Considering that the parasite can be recorded in wintering ponds from 
the source of water supply, experiments were set up on the purification 
of water from the cysts and vegetative stages of the parasite with the help 
of sand filters. It was clear that a layer of sand 10-15 cm thick completely 
restrained it. 
4 
Relevant references 
Dubinin, V.B. (1952). Parasite-fauna of young sturgeons of the Lower Volga. 
Uch.Zap.LGU, No. l4l, v. 28 
Chen Chi-Liu (1955). The protozoan parasites from four species of Chinese 
pond fishes: Ctenopharyngodon idellus, Mylopharyngodon aethiops, 
Aristichthys nobilis and Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. 
Acta hydrobiol.sin. 2. 
Schaperclaus, W. (1935). Chilodon cyprini als Krankheitserreger bei 
Forellenbrut und seine fischpathologische Bedeutung im 
Allgemeinen. Z. Parasitenk. 7, 4. 
Markevich, A.P. (1933) Causes of death of carp fry in wintering ponds. 
Za rybnyu industriyu Severa, No. 6 
Krasheninmkov, S.M. (1939). Chilodonella cyprini Moroff and the distribution 
of this species in the Ukraine. Trudy Inst.ryb.Khoz.Ukr.SSR, 
No. 4 
Golovkov, G. A. & Abrosov, V.N. (1952). New investigations on the cause 
of death of yearling carp during wintering in northern regions. 
Zool.Zh. 31. v. 1 
Kiernik, E. (1909). Chilodon hexastichus n.sp. ein auf Susswasserfischen 
parasitierendes Infusorium, nebst Bemerkungen uber Vakuolenhautbildung 
und Zellteilung. Bull.int.Acad.Sci.Cracov. Cl.Sci.-Math. 
et Nat., No. 1 
Bauer, D.N. & Nikol'skaya, N.P. (1957). Chilodonella cyprini (Moroff, 1902), 
its biology and epizootological significance. Izv.VNIORKh., 42. 
Chechina, A.S. (1952). Influence of fatness of carp on the dynamics of its 
parasite fauna. Dokl.AN SSSR, 86, 1. 
Strelkov, Yu.A. & Bauer, O.N. (1957). Illness of young Baltic salmon under 
artificial rearing. Soveshch.bolezn.ryb.Tez.Dokl. 
Shcherbina, A.K. & Il'in, V.A. (1950). Veterinary fish cultural measures in 
the struggle with chilodoniasis. Rybn.Khoz. No. 9 
Isakova-Keo, M.M. (1952). Raising living food for wintering. Ryb.Khoz. No.2 
Shcherbina, A.K. (1939). Gyrodactylus of carp. Trudy Inst.rybn.Khoz.Ukr. 
SSR. No. 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notice 
 
 
Please note that these translations were produced to assist the scientific staff of the 
FBA (Freshwater Biological Association) in their research. These translations were 
done by scientific staff with relevant language skills and not by professional 
translators. 
 
 
 


Chilodonella cyprini (Moroff, 1902) [Translation from: Izv.gos.nauchno-issled.Inst.ozer.i rech.ryb.kh-va 49 25-28, 1959]

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Chilodonella cyprini (Moroff, 1902) [Translation from: Izv.gos.nauchno-issled.Inst.ozer.i rech.ryb.kh-va 49 25-28, 1959]

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