The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an alternative method with pumpkin and papaya seeds, dried and ground, for control of helminth parasites of Astyanax cf. zonatus. Sixty fish were distributed into twelve containers, with one fish/liter. The experiment consisted of four treatments and three replications: TJ = fish in fasting; TRC = fish fed with commercial diet; TSA = fish fed ad libitum with pumpkin seed, and TSM = fish fed ad libitum with papaya seeds. After seven days of feeding, all fish were weighed and blood was taken for blood smears. Efficacy was determined by checking the presence of parasites in the gills, stomach and intestine, in 40% of fishes per treatment (n=6). TJ and TSM showed 39% and 25% of weight loss respectively. The TSA showed better efficacy against the nematode in intestine and stomach (95.26% and 92.48%). The TSM promoted 72% of efficiency on monogeneans control. Hematology revealed an increase of monocyte values to treatment TSM. A decrease of eosinophil values was observed in treatments TSA, TSM and TRC. Thus, feeding fishes with pumpkin is a effective alternative method of low cost for control of nematodes in Astianax cf. zonatus.
Alternative method; treatment; worms; fish; Astyanax cf. zonatus
