Acute tolerance and histopathological effects of ammonia on juvenile maroon clownfishPremnas biaculeatus(Block 1790)

Abstract

This study evaluated the median lethal concentration values (LC50) and the histopathological effects of un-ionized ammonia (NH3 - -N) on juvenile maroon clownfish Premnas biaculeatus. After 96 h of exposure to different concentrations of ammonia, juveniles were sampled for histopathological evaluation. The 24 and 96 h LC50 values of NH3 -N determined were 1.68 and 0.89 mg L 1 respectively. Maroon clownfish exposed to different ammonia concentrations displayed histopathological alterations in the gills, kidney, liver and brain. Gill tissue damage included lamellar hyperplasia, lamellar shorting and hyperplasia and hypertrophy of mucous cells. The kidney showed hyperanaemia, enlarged sinusoids within an apparently decreased amount of haematopoietic tissue, oedema on tubular cells and tubular necrosis, and an enlarged Bowman’s capsule. The liver presented dilatation of hepatic sinusoids, fatty deposition in hepatocytes and Mallory bodies. Examination of the brain revealed a proliferation of glial cells, and the Virchow-Robin space indicated a severe perivascular oedema and signs of neuronal suffering with satellitosis. The results of this study indicate that juvenile maroon clownfish are relatively sensitive to ammonia and particular attention must be given to this toxic compound in culture systems.