Berdasarkan percobaan laboratorium, lintah dari spesies Malmiana diminuta Burreson,

dipastikan menjadi vector dari Trypanoplasma beckeri dari perairan Oregon. Setelah masuk ke
dalam lintah, flagellata menjadi bulat dan terjadi pembelahan sel dalam beberapa jam.
Pembelahan berlanjut selama 48 jam dan flagellata menjadi semakin kecil sampai mencapai
panjang 10.0 m. Sesudah 72 jam, mereka didapati dalam jumlah yang banyak dalam selubung
belalai dan juga dalam mulut penghisap depan dari lintah.
Ketika lintah yang diinfeksi menghisap darah pada seekor ikan yang tidak terinfeksi, flagellata
yang pertama kali terlihat dalam sirkulasi perifer ikan setelah 8 hari kemudian.
The Journal of Protozoology
Volume 26, Issue 3, pages 343347, August 1979

Ascites (ascitic fluid)
An abnormal accumulation of fluid within the body cavity. The build-up of ascitic fluid leads to the
condition known as dropsy in which the fishs body bloats and its scales stick out.
Ascites is generally the result of damage or infection of the liver, kidneys or other organs that play a role
in osmoregulation*. The underlying cause is often a bacterial infection, but sometimes a viral or parasitic
infection, or simply old age, is to blame.
This condition is often fatal and is very difficult to cure. Where a bacterial infection is suspected,
antibiotics, from the vet, may sometimes be effective.
*Osmoregulation: the physiological process by which a fish maintains its internal salt-water balance.

Dropsy
Potentially fatal condition in which the fishs body swells up. It is caused by an abnormal
accumulation of fluid within the body and is often accompanied by raised scales and sometimes
pop-eye. In addition to their bloated appearance, affected fish may become sluggish and go off
their food.
Dropsy is generally the result of damage or infection of the kidneys or other organs that play a
role in osmoregulation, or the internal salt-water balance. Internal infections with certain types of
bacteria and viruses, eg Spring Viraemia of Carp virus, can lead to dropsy. Some internal
tumours, or simply organ failure through old age, can also give rise to this condition.
Dropsy can be difficult to treat partly because it has many underlying causes, some of which, eg
internal tumours, viral infections and organ failure, are incurable. Also, by the time the fish
develops signs of bloating, severe internal damage may have already occurred. Hence, over-the-
counter remedies for dropsy cannot be guaranteed to work in all cases. Antibiotics from the vet
offer the best hope in situations where a bacterial infection is suspected.
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3688
http://hwmaint.jcs.biologists.org/cgi/reprint/s2-59/233/175.pdf
The Journal of Protozoology
Volume 26, Issue 3, pages 343347, August 1979
http://eol.org/pages/2910521/overview
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