White spot disease caused by the ciliate protozoan parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (I. m.), is one of the most dangerous diseases in aquaculture and ornamental fish breeding worldwide. The parasite is characterized by three developmental stages: a reproductive tomont, an infective theront and a parasitic trophont. In sander (Sander lucioperca) breeding l. m. causes serious economic losses. After banning of the traditional therapeutic agent malachite green we have to face a state of emergency for the treatment of the ichthyophthiriasis in Germany. The peracetic acid (PAA), characterized by positive therapeutical properties, mightclosethis gap.The purpose of our investigations was the determination of the toxicity of PES to juvenile sander as well as the evaluation of the therapeutic effectiveness of the substance to combat l. m. For juvenile sander (length 3 cm) we determined a 24-h-LC50 of 1.14 (0.97; 1.3) ppm FES. In two investigations PAA was applied in daily intervals of 0.5; 1, 3, 5 and 24 h and concentrations of 0.5; 1; 1.5 and 2 ppm to treat.-m.-infection in sander. In test I all sander (length 9 cm) died as a result of the I.-m.-infection. However, the PAA exposed fish survived longer than the PES-free controls! This might be due to a disinfection of other pathogens by PAA. In test 11, the fish (length 12 cm) were less infected than fish in test 1. Four of six fish died in the group exposed with 2 ppm PAA for 24 hours. The abundance of l.-m.-trophonts was determined in mucus, fin and gill tissues of all fish. Significant differences could not be observed between test I and test 11 because of dissimilar: 1. exposure in time and concentration, 2. age and condition of the fish and 3. homogenity of the variances. Therefore, no therapy strategy was successful while fighting the parasitic trophonts protected by the overlaying fish tissues, We speculate that a successful therapy of 1. m. with PAA is, as known e.g. for malachite green, only possible while fighting the free living stages theronts and tomonts. This will be part of our subsequent investigations.
