Histopathological changes in the internal organs of female striped gourami (Trichogaster fasciata) exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of salt water

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of climate induced salinity on histoarchitecture of liver, kidney and ovary tissue of female striped gourami (Trichogaster fasciata) exposed tothree sub-lethal concentrations (3, 6 and 9 ppt) of crude salt along with a control group (0 ppt) for a periodof 30 days. The 96-h LC50 value of crude salt for striped gourami was previously estimated as 11.107 ppt. Toconduct the experiment 12 plastic tanks each having 70L water holding capacity were used for the fourtreatments with three replications for each. Water exchange was done on every 10th day and crude salt wasused to maintain desired salinity. Several histopathological changes were observed in fish liver, kidney andovary exposed to different concentrations of salinity. Increasing necrosis, hemorrhage, hepatic rupture,melano-macrophage cells, degenerated cell and vacuums in the liver tissue were found in salt water treatedgroups. Similarly, a number of changes such as, vacuole, cellular degeneration, hemorrhage, disintegratedglomeruli, destructed renal tubule and extensive vacuolein were observed in the kidney tissue of salt watertreated groups. Degenerated oocyte, inter-follicular space, disrupted oocytes, etc. were observed in ovarywith increasing concentration of salinity and time of exposures. Physiological and metabolic dysfunctionsmight have happened to female stripped gourami due to changes in vital internal organs like liver, kidney andovary. Therefore, the present research further suggested that climate induced salinity intrusion is capable ofstressing freshwater fishes resulting in deformities of liver, kidney and ovary.