Effect of temperature on the growth performance, haematological properties and histomorphology of gill, intestine and liver tissues in juvenile butter catfish Ompok bimaculatus

Abstract

AbstractA 90‐day long indoor aquarium trial was conducted to assess the consequence of temperature on the growth, blood chemistry and histology of gill, intestine and liver tissues of Ompok bimaculatus juveniles. Homogeneous juveniles were randomly stocked into four different treatments of 20, 35 30 and 25℃ (room temperature as control), and these replications were marked as T20, T30, T35 and T25, respectively. Juvenile fish were fed with commercial diets at 5% body weight three consecutive times a day. Fish in T30 showed significantly higher growth performances and a higher percentage of specific growth rate (SGR%) in comparison to the control group in T25 (p < 0.05). However, no significant (p > 0.05) changes in SGR% were reported between T30 and T35 groups. Haematological analyses showed significant (p < 0.05) decreases in haemoglobin (Hb) and white blood cell (WBC) in T20 and T35 compared to control T25. Significantly higher Hb and WBC were observed in T30 among treatments. No significant changes (p > 0.05) in red blood cells (RBC) were observed between T25 and T30, while T20 and T35 showed significantly lower RBC. Histological analyses revealed that the liver and gill tissues were well‐shaped in T30 compared to distinctive pathology in other treatments. Again, the apparent formation of intestinal villi height was highest observed in T30 in comparison to other groups. It is concluded that the highest growth performance and physiological development of butter catfish would be obtained at 30℃ rearing temperatures.