Edible Freshwater Fish Research Articles

Role of photoperiod and melatonin in the regulation of ovarian functions in Indian carp Catla catla: basic information for future application

The major carp Catla catla is a popular freshwater edible fish and an extensively cultured species in India. However, basic information on the physiology of reproduction is lacking in this species. By virtue of its surface feeding habit, it maintains close contact with environmental light, and is a species of choice for the study of temporal organization of reproduction under natural and experimental conditions for understanding environmental and/or endocrine mechanisms that control the annual reproductive cycle. The present review covers information gathered in recent years to emphasize the temporal pattern of reproductive events and the importance of photoperiod and melatonin, a hormone of the pineal gland that links the environment with the endocrine system in the regulation of reproduction. Finally, the outcome of the research is discussed in terms of its direct and indirect applications to aquaculture of this species with a view to manipulate its breeding at a desired time of the year to meet market demand.

Toxicity of cypermethrin on total lipids and free fatty acids in liver, muscle, kidney and ovary of Clarias batrachus (L) and recovery response

Alterations in the levels of lipid metabolites, total lipids and free fatty acids, were studied in physiologically important tissues viz; liver, muscle, kidney and ovary of a freshwater edible fish Clarias batrachus. The fish was exposed to sublethal concentration (1/3 of LC50 value for 96 h) of a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide, cypermethrin for 1, 5 and 10 days. After 10 days of exposure, fish were released into fresh water and total lipids and free fatty acids were determined at intervals of 1, 5 and 10 days to assess fish recovery response after cessation of cypermethrin exposure. Fish showed an increased rate of lipogenesis in liver, muscle, kidney and ovary during the exposure period followed by a decrease after transfer of fish into fresh water. There was also an elevation in liver and kidney free fatty acids contents, while the muscle and ovary free fatty acid contents were reduced during exposure period. The alterations in free fatty acids were restored to near normal values after 10 days of cessation of exposure.

Selected elemental composition of the muscle tissue of three species of fish, Tilapia nilotica, Cirrhina mrigala and Clarius batrachus, from the fresh water Dhanmondi Lake in Bangladesh

Because lead pollution was recently reported in the fresh water Dhanmondi Lake, in Bangladesh the concentration of selected elements in the flesh of three species of fish, Tilapia nilotica, Cirrhina mrigala and Clarius batrachus, were investigated. The elemental concentrations were determined using atomic absorption spectrometry and the following results (in μg/g-dry weight) were obtained: calcium 4999, sodium 3183, magnesium 2193, iron 131, zinc 60.1, manganese 17.5, copper 5.07, lead 2.08 and nickel 1.91. Since the commission regulation setting maximum lead level for the muscle meat of fish, released from the European Communities (EC), followed by the European Union (EU), is 0.2 mg/kg wet weight, corresponding to 0.96 μg/g dry weight, considerable attention should be paid to the lead content in freshwater fish species in Bangladesh. Furthermore, continuous monitoring of heavy metal concentration in edible freshwater fish will be needed in Bangladesh.

Individual and combined effects of dimecron–ziram on the levels of serum prolactin and selected minerals of an edible freshwater fish, Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters)

The individual and combined effects of dimecron (an organophosphate pesticide) and ziram (a carbamate fungicide) on the levels of serum prolactin and selected minerals (Ca, P, and Mg) are studied in an edible freshwater fish, Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of individual dimecron (0.002 mL L −1) and ziram (0.008 mL L −1) and combined 1:4 mixture of dimecron–ziram (0.01 mL L −1) for 24, 48, and 72 h. Exposure of fish to sub-lethal concentration of individual and mixture of dimecron and ziram caused changes in the levels of serum prolactin and minerals studied compared to control fishes. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the individual exposures of dimecron and ziram comparatively manifested higher toxic effects (than the combined exposure) by reducing prolactin levels and loss of mineral contents. These changes may result in a severe osmoregulatory problem.

Determination of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans and comparison of extraction methods for edible freshwater fish and frogs in South Korea by using a high-resolution GC/MS

Three different extraction methods were evaluated: Soxhlet extraction, accelerated solvent extractor extraction and alkali digestion with high-resolution gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry, for the analysis of edible freshwater fish and frogs. The recovery efficiencies for the different extraction methods were also compared. Using these extraction methods, the concentrations and spatial distributions of these compounds in freshwater fish and frogs (n = 99), collected from 31 locations on four major river systems (Han, Nakdong, Kum and Youngsan) and two wetlands in South Korea, were examined. The concentrations of total polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) in all the freshwater fish and frog samples were analysed. The toxic equivalency (TEQ) concentration of PCDD/Fs in fish ranged from 0 (n.d.) to 1.309 pg I-TEQ g−1 wet weight. Detailed concentrations for different types of fish were as follows (pg I-TEQ g−1 wet weight): 0 (n.d.)–1.309 for crucian (mean 0.331, n = 28), 0.004–0.743 for carp (0.244, n = 10), 0.004–0.592 for dace (0.198, n = 8), 0.187–0.400 for cornet fish (0.287, n = 3), 0.164–0.410 for Korean piscivorous chub (0.303, n = 6), 0.105–0.516 for bass (0.310, n = 2), 0.451–0.812 for mullet (0.631, n = 2), 0.082 for long-nosed barbell, 0.100 for common Korean bitterling and 0.995 for dark chub. The total TEQ concentration ranged from 0 (n.d.) to 1.258 pg I-TEQ g−1 wet weight for the two kinds of frogs (n = 36) investigated: 0 (n.d.)–1.258 pg I-TEQ g−1 (mean 0.346, n = 29) for the bullfrog and from 0 (n.d.)–0.474 pg I-TEQ g−1 (0.185, n = 7) for the mountain frog.

Resistance to Oxidative Stress in a Freshwater Fish <i>Channa punctatus</I> After Exposure to Inorganic Arsenic

The biochemical toxicity of arsenic trioxide (AsIII) in a freshwater edible fish Channa punctatus has been studied on exposures ranging from 7 to 90 d. The arsenic concentration increased exponentially in liver, kidney, gills, and muscles of fish up to 60 d of exposure to arsenic. However, arsenic concentration in these tissues declined at 90 d of exposure. This relationship between period of exposure and concentration of arsenic in selected tissues suggests an adaptive response of fish to arsenic. Furthermore, exposure to arsenic-induced lipid peroxidation in these organs increased initially at 7 d of exposure; however, it decreased up to 60 d of exposure but increased again at 90 d of treatment. Values of reduced glutathione (GSH) reflected the observations of lipid peroxidation. The role of GSH in this adaptive response has been discussed.

Adaptive changes in the patterns of carbohydrate metabolites in blood, liver, muscle and heart tissues ofSarotherodon mossambicus(Peters) exposed to the carbamate fungicide ziram

Adaptive changes in the levels of carbohydrate metabolites, glucose, glycogen and lactic acid, were studied in a freshwater edible fish, Sarotherodon mossambicus exposed to a carbamate fungicide, ziram. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the fish showed (i) adaptive utilization of stored glycogen, particularly in liver tissue; (ii) adaptive accumulation of glycogen in muscle and heart tissues, probably by glyconeogenesis and (iii) adaptive mechanism of operation of ‘diving syndrome’, to meet the stress of the pollutant under sub-lethal exposure. © 1998 SCI.

Cadmium induced changes in ion levels and ATPase activities in the muscle of the fry and fingerlings of the freshwater fish, [formula omitted

Levels of sodium, potassium and calcium ions and the activities of Na +K +, Mg 2+ and Ca 2+ ATPases were estimated in the muscle of the fry and fingerlings of an economically important edible freshwater fish, Cyprinus carpio , at 1,2,3 and 4 days on exposure to the lethal, 4.3 mg/L and 17.1 mg/L respectively for the fry and fingerlings,and 1,7,15 and 30 days on exposure to sublethal, 0.86 mg/L and 3.42 mg/L, concentrations of cadmium. All the ion levels and ATPase activities progressively decreased over time of exposure, in the order day 1 < 2 < 3 < 4, in the muscle of both fry and fingerlings on exposure to lethal concentrations; the magnitude of decrease was higher in the fry than the fingerlings. In sublethal concentrations, an initial decrease in these parameters of the fry was noticed at day 1, but on further exposure they increased over control, however, the order was day 7 > 15 > 30 in sodium ions and Na +K + and Mg 2+ ATPase activities and 7 < 15 > 30 in potassium and calcium ions and Ca 2+ ATPase activity. In fingerlings, all the parameters decreased at days 1 and 7 (day 1 < 7) but increased at days 15 and 30 (day 15 < 30). All these changes in iono-regulatory pattern of the fish were discussed in the light of available literature.

Ectoparasites of the freshwater food fishes of Haryana

This communication records eight ectoparasites of the gills and skin from edible freshwater fishes of Haryana. Since all eight parasites collected differ from those described earlier in the literature, they are briefly redescribed and arranged systematically.

Helminth Infection in Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh

Edible freshwater fishes common in central, northern and southern parts of Bangladesh were examined to record their helminth infection. A total of 78 taxa of helminths-1 monogenean, 28 digeneans, 8 caryophyllid cestodes, 24 nematodes and 17 acanthocephalans were recovered from 7 different organs of 37 species of freshwater fishes. Two species of trematodes (Ophiocorchis dasus GUPTA and Coitocaecum sp.), eight species of caryophyllids (Lytocestus indicus (MOGHE) WOODLAND, Lytocestus birmanicus LYNSDALE, Lytocestus parvulus FURTADO, Bovienia serialis (BOVIEN) FUHRMANN, Djombangia penetrans BOVIEN, Lucknowia sp., Capigentoides batrachii GUPTA and Pseudocaryophyllaeus indica GUPTA) and twelve species of acanthocephalans (Neoechineorhynchus topseyi PODDER, Neoechinorhynchus sp., Acanthosentis dattai PODDER, Acanthosentis indicus TRIPATHI, Acanthosentis tilapiae BAYLIS, Pallisentis allahabadii AGRAWAL, Pallisentis sp. 2, Pallisentis sp. 1 Devendrosentis garuai SAHAY et al., Hypoechinorhynchus sp., Heterosentis plotosi YAMAGUTI and Mehrarhynchus secundum TRIPATHI) are reported for the first time from Bangladesh.Parasitic helminth incidence, infection intensity and distribution of the caryophyllid cestodes and acanthocephalans are also reported.

Lead and freshwater fishes: Part 1—Lead accumulation and water pH

The accumulation of lead by an edible freshwater fish was investigated at pH 7·5 and pH 6·0. At the lower pH the fish concentrated almost three times more lead than at the higher pH. The sites of lead concentration, however, were not altered by the change in water pH.

Caesium-137 in edible freshwater fish.

KNOWLEDGE of radioactivity in fish is largely limited to determinations made of the strontium-90 occurring in certain ocean species and to some attempts at the evaluation of caesium-137 content (137Cs) of the same or similar specimens. Hasanen and Miettinen1 found concentrations of the order of nanocuries of caesium-137 per kilogram (nc./kg) in freshwater fish. These were taken from lakes in Finland during 1962 and 1963 in the course of an investigation into sources of caesium-137 other than caribou and reindeer meat in the Laplander's diet. This finding could have been predicted from the earlier work of Pendleton and Hanson2, which demonstrated the rapid accumulation of caesium-137 by various aquatic forms through several trophic levels in a freshwater pond contaminated with caesium-137. Caesium-137 in these organisms was found to reach concentrations several orders of magnitude greater than those found in the surrounding water.