Coliform Organisms in Waters of Channel Catfish Ponds

Water from 48 channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus ponds at Auburn and Greensboro, Alabama, USA, usually contained less than 1,000 total coliform and 200 fecal coliform bacteria per 100 mL. There were no sources of human fecal matter to ponds. Also, the fecal coliform: fecal streptococci ratio was less than 1.0 and typical of fecal contamination by warm‐blooded animals other than humans. The abundance of coliforms was greater in spring and summer than in fall and winter in catfish ponds and sportfish ponds at Auburn, Alabama. In spite of high organic matter inputs in feed, catfish ponds had no greater abundance of coliforms than sportfish ponds.