Six iso-nitrogenous (350 g protein kg−1) and iso-caloric (4100 kcal kg−1) diets with or without probiotics supplementation namely T1 (Basal feed (BF) without probiotics; control), T2 (BF + Bacillus subtilis and Lactococcus lactis), T3 (BF + L. lactis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae), T4 (BF + B. subtilis and S. cerevisiae), T5 (BF + B. subtilis, L. lactis and S. cerevisiae) and T6 (BF + heat-killed bacteria of B. subtilis, L. lactis and S. cerevisiae) were fed to Labeo rohita fingerlings (6.0 ± 0.06 g) for 60 days in triplicate tanks (30 fish per tank). In all probiotic-supplemented diets, the probiotic concentration was maintained at 1011 cfu kg−1 feed. After 60 days of culture, the fish fed combination of three probiotics at equal proportion (T5) had higher (P < 0.05) growth, protein efficiency ratio, nutrient retention and digestibility and lower (P > 0.05) feed conversion ratio over other treatment groups. Total heterotrophic bacterial population in intestine was drastically reduced on 15th and 30th days of sampling than the initial value (0 day of sampling) for T3, T4 and T5 groups. Except T6, the gut colonization of respective probiotics, which were supplemented through the diets, was also increased up to 30 days of culture of fish and thereafter remained constant.
14 January 2014 in Fish Physiology and Biochemistry
India is blessed with vast floodplain wetland resources of 0.5 million ha that are distributed in the Eastern and North Eastern States. They possess varying morphometry, ecological profile, trophic status and biota, and harbor around 96 fish species, however the fish diversity is declining in recent years due to anthropogenic and other stressors including climate change. The wetlands are serving the need for fish from sustenance level to high intensity with varying management regimes. The average fish yield realized from these wetlands was very low as 50 kg ha−1 yr−1 against the annual potential of 2000 kg ha−1 yr−1. The fish yield from these resources has enhanced through adoption of culture based fisheries and the average yield has increased to 400 kg ha−1 yr−1. The increase in fish yield is about 20% of the production potential and there exists wide scope for developing integrated management strategies for optimizing the fish yield. Insufficient access to scientific knowledge and technologies, loss of biodiversity, habitat degradation, poor fisheries infrastructure, weak financial capacity, lack of co-operative approach, poor linkages and unorganized institutional arrangements pose challenges in achieving the potential. The present review synthesizes the updated information available on floodplain wetlands and the changes and developments during the last few decades with reference to ecology, fisheries, biodiversity, production potential, threats, institutional arrangements, governance and recommends strategies for conservation and sustainable fisheries development.
As a new class of agricultural insecticides, synthetic pyrethroids are widely used to control insect pests. Synthetic pyrethroids have been shown to enter the aquatic environment from agricultural runoff or drift from aerial and ground-based spraying applications posing threat to fishes which are less tolerant to pesticides through direct exposure. These insecticides interfere with the sodium channel of the nervous system resulting in prolonged sodium tail current. Widespread application of these chemicals has warranted the attention of the ecologist to understand the impact of these chemicals on the aquatic environment. In this perspective, an updated account of toxicological evaluation of three type II synthetic pyrethroids, viz. deltamethrin, cypermethrin and fenvalerate in terms of their physico-chemical, metabolic, hematological, histological, behavioral and reproductive aspects with respect to the fishes has been presented which may be useful for policy makers, academics, environmental scientists and agricultural professionals needing ready access to this information. The aim of the present synoptic literature appraisal was to summarize the main effect of current use, type II synthetic pyrethroids (deltamethrin, cypermethrin and fenvalerate) on aquatic environment due to their persistence and accumulation. This article will focus on non-target organisms in inland fresh water environment with special reference to fin fishes and will critically evaluate the toxicity of these pyrethroids in terms of growth inhibition, metabolic disorders, neurotoxicity, reproductive failure, enzymatic dysfunction, haematological alterations, and tissue damages. The rationalized information in this milieu may be useful in ecological risk evaluation and human health management as fish serves as an important bio-indicator for aquatic systems health.
27 November 2012 in Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition