Behavioural responses of selected marine fishes to chlorinated seawater

Abstract

Behavioural responses to chlorinated seawater were studied in the laboratory using eight species of fish (topsmelt, Atherinops affinis [Ayres]; pile perch, Rhacochilus vacca [Girard]; señorita, Oxyjulis californica [Günther]; blacksmith, Chromis punctipinnis [Cooper]; northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax [Girard]; opaleye, Girella nigricans [Ayres]; bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli [Gilbert] and mussel blenny, Hypsoblennius jenkinsi Jordan and Evermann) which occur near the Units 7 and 8 discharge of Southern California Edison's Redondo Beach Steam Generating Plant in King Harbor, California, USA. All species except Engraulis demonstrated prolonged avoidance of chlorinated quadrants of the behaviour chamber. The avoidance thresholds were species-specific and species totally avoided estimated total residual oxidant (TRO) concentrations from 0·094 to 0·456 mg/litre. Calculated significant avoidance thresholds averaged 0·066 mg/litre TRO; young Atherinops significantly avoided TRO concentrations as low as 0·028 mg/litre ( p < 0·001). The highest avoidance thresholds were exhibited by sedentary species and were modified by the presence of cover inside the behaviour chamber. The avoidance response protected against mortality in all species except Lythrypnus and Engraulis.