BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS RESPONSES OF Java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) TO ENVIRONMENTAL SALINITY CHALLENGE

Abstract

Salinity impose stress on the physiology of the ex-posed freshwater fish population can modify their structure. In this study some indicators of behavioral and physiological stress responses were examined dur-ing exposure of Java barb (Barbonymus gonionotus) to different saline concentrations. Based on the result of median lethal salinity level (LC50) (12.9ppt), one sub-lethal (12ppt) and two lethal salinity levels (14ppt and 16ppt) were selected to study the acute stress respons-es of fish for a period of 72h. A number of physiologi-cal responses, such as disturbance in body fluid, alter-ations of blood biochemical and hematological param-eters and behavioral responses were detected with in-creasing ambient salinity. Fish exposed to different sub-lethal and lethal salinities exhibited clinical signs agitated behavior, respiratory distress, abnormal nerv-ous behavior and death were recorded. From the pre-sent investigation, it was observed that higher salinity may affect the physiological and behavioral stress re-sponses in freshwater fish.