Marine Leech Zeylanicobdella arugamensis Infestation As A Predisposing Factor For Vibrio alginolyticus Infection On The Hybrid Grouper "Cantang" (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus x Epinephelus lanceolatus) From Traditional Ponds In The Kampung Kerapu Lamongan East Java Indonesia

Marine leech Zeylanicobdella arugamensis is one of the ectoparasites that can infest grouper fish, causing wounds on the place where it is attached, so that it can act as a predisposing factor for secondary infection by pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio alginolyticus .The purpose of this study was to determine Z.arugamensis marine leech infestation as a predisposing factor for V.alginolyticus infection on the Cantang grouper from traditional ponds in the kampung kerapu lamongan. This research is a transversal survey and data analysis using Pearson correlation. Observations were made in the Laboratory of Anatomy and Fish Culture, and the examination of bacteria was made by conventional methods at BKIPM Juanda Surabaya. Based on the results obtained, 17 of 30 Groupers were known to be infested marine leech. Meanwhile, 5 infested fish were positive for V.alginolyticus with a TPC calculation of 0.12-2.13 × 10⁴ CFU/ml.. This moment indicates that Infestation of the parasite Z.arugamensis can act as a predisposing factor for the occurrence of V.alginolyticus bacterial infection because there is a positive correlation, that is, the higher the amount of Z.arugamensis infestation followed by the TPC Vibrio sp.