Size dependent tolerance of Indian cat fish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch) to toxicity of cadmium and composted vegetation

• Published in: Bulletin of environmental contamination and toxicology Vol. 68; no. 1; pp. 37 - 42
• Main Authors: BISWAS, B, KAVIRAJ, A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Springer-Verlag 2002; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adaptation, Physiological; Agnatha. Pisces; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aquatic plants; Biological and medical sciences; Body Constitution; body size; Cadmium; Cadmium - pharmacology; Cadmium - toxicity; Catfishes - physiology; Ditches; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Fish; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hateropneustes fossilis; Heteropneustes fossilis; Lethal Dose 50; Mitra; Oryza sativa; Oxygen; Oxygen demand; Pesticides; Plants; Pollutants; Ponds; Refuse Disposal; Rice fields; Shallow water; Swamps; Toxicity; Vegetation; Water Pollutants - pharmacology; Water Pollutants - toxicity; Asia; India; Cadmium; Compost; Edible fish; Organic matter; Toxicity; Mortality; Heavy metal; Vertebrata; Lethal dose 50; Medium effect; Heteropneustes fossilis; Pisces; Body size
• ISSN: 0007-4861; 1432-0800
• DOI: 10.1007/s00128-001-0216-6

The purpose of this study was to verify whether tolerance of Heteropneustes fossilis aquatic pollutant varied with the size of the fish. Size is an important morphological factor that influences the tolerance of fish to aquatic pollutant. Tolerence of H. fossilis to pesticide carbofuran have been found to vary with the length and weight of fish. Tolerance was tested for the inorganic pollutant cadmium (Cd) and an organic pollutant in the form of composted vegetation. Cd is a common aquatic pollutant in Indian waters. The pisciculture practices in the country are threatened by frequent low to moderate deposition of Cd in ponds. Toxicity of Cd to H. fossilis was tested earlier, but relative tolerance of ddifferent size groups of this fish to Cd is not known. The natural habitats of H. fossilis are also frequently polluted by heavy input of organic matters. To carry out culture of the fish in such water it is essential to know its susceptibility to these pollutants.