Flavobacterium

Flavobacterium is a genus of Gram-negative, nonmotile, rod-shaped bacteria that consists of ten recognized species, as well as three newly proposed species (F. gondwanense , F. salegens , and F. scophthalmum ). Flavobacteria are found in soil and fresh water in a variety of environments. Several species are known to cause disease in freshwater fish.

Flavobacterium psychrophilum causes the bacterial cold water disease (BCWD) on salmonids and the rainbow trout fry disease (RTFS) on rainbow trouts. Flavobacterium columnare causes the cotton-wool disease on freshwater fishes. Flavobacterium branchiophilum causes the bacterial gill disease (BGD) on trouts.