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Year-2 channel cattish Ictalurus punctatits (average initial weight. 31 g) were fed nutritionally balanced diets containing various amounts of corn culture material contaminated with the fungus Fusarium monilifonne. Quantities of culture material used provided 0.3 (control), 20, 80, 320, or 720 mg of the mycotoxin fumonisin B) (FB|) per kilogram of diet. Fish fed the two highest concentrations of FB| lost weight during the 14-week feeding period and experienced high mortality caused by Flexibacter columnaris. Fish fed the three lower concentrations for 14 weeks experienced no mortality, but those fed 80 mg FBj/kg showed significantly less weight gain. When challenged by immersion in an aqueous cell suspension of a virulent strain of Edwardsiella ictaluri. fish that had been fed 80 mg FBj/kg diet for 14 weeks had a significantly lower percentage survival than the fish fed 0.3 or 20 mg FB,/kg. Antibody production by fish fed 20 or 80 mg FB,/kg diet and inoculated with killed K. ictaluri cells was significantly lower after 14 d than antibody production by inoculated control fish. These results indicate that feeding year-2 channel catfish corn material contaminated with /•'. monilifonne and containing fumonisins can reduce the fishes' growth and resistance to /•'. ictaluri infection.

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