Journal of Aquaculture Research & Development

Abstract

Median Lethal Salinity (MLS96 h) of Two Small Indigenous Fish Species Amblypharyngodon mola and Pethia ticto from Indian Sundarban

Dubey SK*,Trivedi RK,Rout SK,Chand BK,Choudhury A

Amblypharyngodon mola and Pethia ticto are small indigenous fish species belonging to family cyprinidae and considered as primary freshwater fish widely distributed in Indian subcontinent including Sundarban region. The 96-h median lethal salinity (MLS96 h) level of these fish was found out by exposing to saline water (0-10 ppt) in direct transfer method. The 96-h median lethal salinity for A. mola was found to be 6.20 ppt with 95% confidence intervals of 4.38-7.09 ppt where as for P. ticto it was 6.12 with 95% confidence intervals of 3.67-7.07 ppt. The Probit showed that at 6.12-6.20 ppt, 50% of the both test species shows sensitivity to salinity that leads to mortality. The regression analysis indicated that the mortality rate is positively correlated with salinity concentration having a regression coefficient close to 1.0 in each case. Various levels of external stress responses were noticed at 8 and 10 ppt salinity. The study suggests that these fish can potentially be used as a candidate species for aquaculture in slight brackishwater areas of Sundarban. However, further studies are required to understand the ecosystem based adaptation processes at higher salinity levels.