96-h LC 50 values of cadmium (Cd) to fish Labeo rohita and the copepod Diaptomus forbesi, determined by static bioassays, were, respectively, 89.5 and 10.2 mg/l. LC 50 values increased significantly when fish pre-exposed to 100–350 mg/l CaO or 0.5–1.5 mg/l KMnO 4 for 4 d and the copepod to 20–70 mg/l CaO or 0.25–1.0 mg/l KMnO 4 for same period. The LC 50 values also increased when the pre-exposure period of CaO was increased to 12 d at concentration 100 mg/l for fish and 20 mg/l for copepod. All fish died when pre-exposed to 1.5 mg/l KMnO 4 for 8 d. But LC 50 values of Cd to copepod increased when pre-exposure period of 0.5 mg/l KMnO 4 was increased from 4 to 8 d.