Pollutant Induced Altered Behaviours in Fish: A Review of Selected Literature

Abstract

The issue of environmental pollution has become a global phenomenon in recent years, of importance is the aquatic environment, which acts as a sink for these contaminants which pose serious threuts to many organisms especially fish. For many years direct mortality have been the major methods of assisting the effects of nonlethal effects on fish population. Altered behavioural responses is one of the most obvious end point produced by pollutants, however this has been underestimates and under – used by toxicologists. This paper then reviewed critically, some of the behavioural pattern induces by chemical pollution in fish. Such as impairment of olfactory properties, predator avoidance behaviour, reproductive and social behaviour. These changes in behaviour varies among fish species, type and duration of chemicals. Behavioural assays, is more appropriate and is a useful indicator than standard assays. It is not invasive, inexpensive and potentially more powerful than other methods in toxicity assessment.