Behavioural and biochemical responses of juvenile catfish (Clarias gariepinus) exposed to graded concentrations of cassava waste water

Abstract

The behavioural and serum liver enzyme responses of juvenile catfish (Clarias gariepinus) were evaluated for 72 hours. Thirty-six (36) healthy fishes with standard weight, 20 ± 1.52 g and standard length, 18.25 ± 0.50 cm were used for the experiment in non-renewable bioassay system. The test fish exhibited stressful behavioural changes such as erratic swimming, vertical swimming, gasping, and body discolouration. The 24 and 48-hours LC50 were determined to be 96.937 and 9.765 mg/ml respectively. Increased serum aspartate amino transferase and alanine transferase concentrations were recorded on the final day of the experiment (p<0.05).

Keywords: Behavioural, Biochemical, Catfish, Cassava wastewater