Treatment of Microcotyle sp. (Monogenea) on the gills of cage-cultured red porgy, Pagrus pagrus following baths with formalin and mebendazole

Two bath treatment trials for the control of the monogenean Microcotyle sp. in the gills of cultured red porgy, Pagrus pagrus using formalin (200 ppm for 1 h) and mebendazole (400 ppm for 1 h) were conducted. Formalin was very effective removing all the parasites from the gills of the infected fish while mebendazole produced no significant result. Based on the results of the trial, formalin was selected for the treatment of a large population of heavily infected red porgies held in sea cages. The results of the treatment are discussed.