Abstract: The study examined the acute toxicity of Sponge plant (Luffa cylindrica) fruit extract (a piscicide) on Clarias gariepinus juveniles under laboratory conditions using static non renewable bioassays over a period of 96 hrs. The fish (mean weight and length 14.72±3.63g and 13.12±1.01cm) were exposed to concentrations of 13500mg/L, 15000mg/L, 16500mg/L and 18000mg/L L. cylindrica extract. The physicochemical parameters of test media were relatively stable except the TDS and conductivity which increased with increase in concentration and exposure time. The LC50 of the fruit extract was 14125.38m/L while the LT50 was found to be 28.18hrs, 38.02hrs, 70.80hrs and 151.36hrs for 18000mg/L, 16500mg/L, 15000mg/L and 13500mg/L respectively. The ANOVA revealed significant variation between treatments and control for fish mortality (F=129.83 at P<0.05). The physiological changes analyzed revealed that TBF decreased while the OBF increased with increase in concentration and exposure time. The fish exposed to the extract displayed some behavioural changes like prolonged vertical movement, rapid movement and jumping, changes in skin colour with heavy secretion of mucus. Pathological changes were observed on the gills (loss of lamellae, necrosis, and serious lamellae distortion) and liver (alterations in the tissues with steatosis, vacuolations and necrosis) of the test organism. The result of this study shows that the extract of L. cylindrica fruit is toxic to fish which implies that stringent measures should be taken to ensure the restraint of its usage by the local fishers to reduce the potential risk of poisonous fish consumption and pollution of aquatic ecosystem.
Keywords: Acute toxicity, Luffa cylindrica, Claria sgarepinus, Extract, Piscicides.
Title: Acute Toxicity of Sponge Plant (Luffa Cylindrica) Fruit Extract on African Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus, Buchell 1822) Juveniles
Author: Odioko, Edafe, Sikoki, Francis David, Vincent-Akpu, Ijeoma Favour, Utibe, Daniel Ita
International Journal of Life Sciences Research
ISSN 2348-313X (Print), ISSN 2348-3148 (online)
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