Data from: Fingerling stocking size has no influence on proliferative gill disease severity in farm-raised channel catfish (<i>I</i><i>ctalurus punctatus</i>)

Through discussions with industry stakeholders, the question was raised about whether stocking larger catfish fingerings could reduce losses associated with <i>Henneguya ictaluri</i>, the myxozoan responsible for proliferative gill disease (PGD). To evaluate this, a collaborative study between the USDA-ARS Warmwater Aquaculture Research Unit, University of Georgia, Mississippi State University, and St. George's University (Granada, West Indies) was conducted. Two sizes of channel catfish fingerlings (40 lbs/1000 [small] and 120 lbs/1000 [large]) were stocked into net pens and placed in commercial catfish ponds with varying levels of PGD activity. Following a 7-day pond exposure, mortality was assessed, and all surviving fish used to evaluate gill damage and sub-lethal effects in relation to <i>H. ictaluri</i> loads in the gill tissue and water samples.Funding for the research comes from USDA-ARS Project 6066-31000-016-000D, and the USDA-ARS-funded Mississippi State University Catfish Health Initiative (Project No. 6066-31320-006-000D).