Status of disease in red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) in cage farming in Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province during salinity intrusion in early 2024

Abstract

    This study surveyed 30 cage-cultured red tilapia farming households in Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province, from February to April 2024 to assess the diseases prevalence under salinity intrusion conditions. Results showed that the average salinity in the farming area was 4.7 g/L. Common diseases in red tilapia included hemorrhage, exophthalmos (pop-eye), eye rupture, head swelling, white gills, jaundice, body whitening with mucus loss, and red mouth. Disease prevention measures included antibiotic feeding (71%), deworming (82%), and supplementation with vitamins, probiotics, and enzymes (94%). The highest disease incidence rates were observed for pop-eye and hemorrhage (100%). The five main drugs used in red tilapia farming were amoxicillin, enrofloxacin, albendazole, deworming medication, and potassium permanganate. Pop-eye was primarily treated with deworming medication, amoxicillin, and enrofloxacin (68%), while hemorrhage was treated with amoxicillin and enrofloxacin (67.8%). Regression analysis indicated that disease treatment effectiveness was positively correlated with farming experience and disease prevention measures but negatively correlated with salinity levels. Overall, salinity intrusion significantly affected disease prevalence and treatment effectiveness in cage-cultured red tilapia in Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province.