Acute and sub acute toxic effect of ammonia on behavioral and haematological responses of Indian major carp Labeo rohita Ham, 1822

Abstract

Work has been carried out to study the acute and sub acute toxicity of ammonia on behavioral and haematological responses of Indian major carp Labeo rohita from culture ponds. Acute dose was found to be 12.5 ppm, which was determined by exposing the fish for 96 hrs. to various concentrations of ammonia i.e. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 ppm and by subjecting the results to probit analysis. 1/3rd of the acute dose was considered as sub-acute dose for undertaking sub-acute toxicity studies. L. rohita showed erratic behavior when exposed to acute dose, but no such abnormal behavioral changes were noticed at sub-acute dose. However, a gradual decrease in some haematological parameters like RBC, Hb %, and HCT% an increase in the WBC count was noticed both at acute and sub-acute levels during different post exposure days.