DETECTION OF MEGALOCYTIVIRUS IN CLOWNFISH (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Abstrak

This study aimed to detect the presence of Megalocytivirus in clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) obtained from the Ambon Marine Aquaculture Center (BPBL). The research used a descriptive laboratory, non-experimental approach, with molecular detection performed through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and nested PCR techniques. Five clownfish specimens (approximately 3 cm) were sampled, and spleen tissue was used as the target organ for analysis. The extracted DNA was assessed for concentration and purity before amplification by PCR and nested PCR. The amplified products were analyzed using agarose gel electrophoresis to identify the presence of viral DNA bands. The results showed no Megalocytivirus-specific DNA bands in any of the samples, whereas the positive control produced the expected result, confirming the validity of the testing procedure. The study concluded that all clownfish samples from BPBL Ambon were negative for Megalocytivirus infection and were considered free from the virus at the time of sampling.