Alternative treatment for Anacanthorus penilabiatus (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) infection in cultivated pacu, Piaractus mesopotamicus (Osteichthyes: Characidae) in Brazil and its haematological effects.

The present work, studied the effect of 0, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 mg of garlic powder/kg dry ration for Piaractus mesopotamicus (Osteichthyes: Characidae), weighting 73.6 +/- 39.4 g and measuring 15.0 +/- 2.7 cm, fed for a period of 15, 30 and 45 days. Fifteen days after treatment with 1,000 and 2,000 mg of garlic/kg dry ration, significant reduction of Anacanthorus penilabiatus (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) in the gills was related. Nevertheless, the addition of garlic to the ration caused significant increase in the erythrocyte number and in the thrombocyte percentage in the circulating blood. However, a decrease in the lymphocyte percentage was also observed. After 45 days, fish fed with garlic showed significant increase in the erythrocyte number, leucocyte, haemoglobin rate, hematocrit and thrombocyte.