Effects of Different Levels of Copper Sulfate on Growth and Reproductive Performances in Guppy (P. reticulate)

Mahsa Javadi Moosavi

doi:10.4172/2155-9546.1000305

Abstract

Adult Guppies (Poecilia reticulate) were exposed to copper sulfate (CuSO4 5H2O) to evaluate the effects on growth, survival and reproduction performances. Total 480 individuals (mean age of 2.5-3 months) were employed in 5 experimental groups containing 16 fish per group and exposed to 4 sub-lethal levels of copper (0 as control, 0. 004, 0. 013, 0. 019 and 0. 026 mg CuSO4.l-1) for a period of 56 days. Control group had relative advantage than experimental ones at both growth and reproduction performances. As the copper concentration increased, Relative fecundity, gonadosomatic index, surviving rate, offspring production and feed conversion ratio decreased but specific growth rate increased significantly (P<0.05). Focused energy consumption in liver for Cu detoxification process and lack of energy for other physiological demands confirm low SGR and high FCR values in this study. It’s obvious that copper has its toxic effects for guppy, even at lower concentrations than LC50 value (0. 46 mg Cu.l-1)

Highlights

Copper (Cu) like other trace elements [zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), etc. serves important functions in living cells and is essential for fish [1]
Copper sulfate (CuSO4) is the sulfated form of copper which routinely used as an algicide in commercial and recreational fish ponds
The ideal concentration of copper sulfate for weed termination has been suggested to be as much as 1mg.l-1 in which has lower poisonous effect on fish but highly affects the invertebrates [5]

Summary

Introduction

Copper (Cu) like other trace elements [zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), etc. serves important functions in living cells and is essential for fish [1]. The ideal concentration of copper sulfate for weed termination has been suggested to be as much as 1mg.l-1 in which has lower poisonous effect on fish but highly affects the invertebrates [5]. Due to copper sulfate therapeutic trait which made it an ordinary drug for use in ornamental fish’s hatcheries and personal aquariums despite its toxic effects and shortage of focused study on reproductive performance in guppy (P. reticulate), this study carried out.

Results

Conclusion