Heavy metals are common aquatic pollutants and their importance is increasing due to anthropogenic activities. These
pollutants reduce fish metabolic rate and hence reduce their growth. Heavy metals produce reactive oxygen species which
cause oxidative stress. The fish, Cirrhina mrigala was given the sub-lethal concentrations of copper and cadmium in the diet
to check growth performance and oxidative stress. Three diets (2% of body weight) were fed to fish on daily basis to
satiation. The diet # 1 and 2 were sub-lethal doses of copper and cadmium while diet # 3 was without metal. The weight gain
in fish fed with diet 1 and 2 was significantly lower than that of the fish that was fed with diet # 3. The similar trend was
observed for gain in fish fork and total length. The fish feeding behavior was significantly better on diet # 3 as compared to
diet # 1 and 2 in the test mediums. The feed conversion ratio and condition factor of fish varied significantly among
treatments. Specific growth rate in treated mediums (T1 and T2) decreased as compared to control medium. The enzyme
peroxidase activity was maximum in liver of fish in control group and minimum in kidney of fish fed with copper containing
diet. The activities of peroxidase and catalase in fish organs and treatments were significant. The highest superoxide
dismutase activity in the liver of copper fed fish and least in kidney of control fish were recorded. Results indicated that
heavy metals (copper and cadmium) reduced the growth and increased the oxidative stress in fish.
Wardah Hassan, Sajid Abdullah, Khalid Abbas, Moazma Batool, Sajid Yaqub. (2015) The Effect Of Sub-lethal Level Of Dietary Copper And Cadmium On The Growth Performance And Oxidative Stress In Cirrhina Mrigala, , Volume-52, Issue-3.
