EFFECTS OF WATER TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF CATFISH (CLARIAS MACROCEPHALUS GUNTHER) LARVAE

M . F . A . MOLLAH School of Biological Sciences, University

ABSTRACT

of Science,

Penang,

Malaysia.

Five-day old Clarius macmcephalns larvae of initial total length ( + S.D.) of 7.9 i 0.4 mm showed faster growth rate when raised at a water-temperature of 30C. In contrast, the survival rates of the larvae maintained at three different temperature regimes (e.g., 35C, 30C, and ambient: 27-30C) tested were not significantly different throughout the 28-day study period. Thus, the recommended temperature for the culture of C. macrocephaliis larvae is 30C.
INTRODUCTION

The larval stage is the most 'sensitive' phase in the life history of the species and thus most susceptible to mortality. Larvae of different species have different requirements for survival and growth. Water-temperature, dissolvedoxygen level, pH, salinity, type of food, type of pollutants and stocking density are some of the many factors known to affect the larval culture of various fish species. Under controlled conditions, however, variations in temperature, food types and stocking densities are often most critically examined. Of them watertemperature is an ubiquitous parameter that has been extensively investigated for reason of its direct influence on the activity and metabolic processes of fish as well as its indirect effect through dissolved oxygen level, and cost of maintenance. The larval stage in the life history of a species tends to be most sensitive to temperature changes, although such temperature effects would have varying responses in different fish species. While maximum and minimum lethal temperatures for a particular species have to be avoided, it is equally important to determine the optimum temperature for growth and survival. For most species, maximal growth rate tends to occur at a particular temperature range, this range being described as the optimal temperature for the species. McCormick et al (1972) reported that the suitable range of temperature for growth and survival of young brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) is from 9.8 to 15.4, of which the optimum lies between 12.4 and 15.4C. However, the optimal rearing temperature for Mugil cephalus larvae is 22C (Kuo et al 1973).

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Though the optimal temperature lies within the range of temperature tolerance of a species, it tends to be at the warmer part of this tolerance limit. At warmer temperature, the metabolic activities of fish are faster and thus the fish, if given adequate food, would grow faster. The maximum size of meal that the fish would accept is depressed at both low and high temperature (Brett & Higgs 1970). This could be due to changes in rate of gastric digestion, rate of intestinal absorption, rate of return of appetite or the simultaneous interaction of all these three factors (Brett and Higgs 1970). The rate of secretion of digestive enzymes, which is temperature dependent (Smit 1967), undoubtedly affects the rate of digestion. Although the food evacuation time is inversely related with temperature (Jobing et al 1977), gastric digestion is unlikely to be impaired within the optimal temperature range of a species (Smit 1967). In the formulation of a growth model for salmonids, Stauffer (1973) assessed the various factors influencing growth, and subsequently concluded that any attempts at modelling must include at least three factors - food ration, size of fish and temperature - as the most important independent variables. Elliot (1975a, b), working on Salmo irutta, came to a similar conclusion.
MATERIAL AND METHODS

Source of larve C. macrocephalus larvae used in the present study were obtained from artificially fertilized eggs of fish ovulated with human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) dose of 2IU|g body wt. Experimental design Nine glass aquaria of size 59 x 43 x 28 cm, each having 50 1 of water, were used for this experiment. The aquaria were divided into three groups, each having three aquaria, and they were designated as Group I, II and III. Two hundred 5-day-old larvae of an average total length + S.D.) of 7.9 0.4 - mm were randomly selected for each of the aquaria. All three aquaria of Group T were placed in an insulated room under a constant water temperature of 35.0 0.5C. The water temperature of the aquaria of Group II was maintained at 30.0 0.5C in another insulated room, while the aquaria of Group III were put under ambient temperature, which ranged between 27 and 30C during the period of experiment. The larvae were fed three times (at 0800 hrs, 1500 hrs and 2300 hrs) a day with excess amount of live food (Moina and|or chopped Tubifex worms) to ensure that there was always food for the larvae. The water was aerated. Half of the water together with the fecal wastes from each aquarium was changed twice daily, once in the morning and once in the evening before feeding. At these times the dead fish were removed and counted. The water used was maintained at the

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required temperature for at least 12 h before being used. Measurement of total length of 40 fish from each aquarium was taken every 7 days. The experiment was conducted for 28 days. Data analysis Data obtained on growth and survival rate for the effect of different water temperature were compared using one way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Duncan's Multiple Range test at a = 0.05 was then employed for further analysis of the results (Vann 1972).
X . RESULTS

With ample supply of live feed provided, it was observed that the larvae were feeding till satiation at the various temperature regimes tested. The mean increase in total length of larvae at different days during the experimental period is shown in Figure 1. ANOVA test results indicated that there was a significant difference in mean growth rates among the 3 different

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FIG. 1 Length-gain curves for C. macrocephalus larvae at different times of the experimental period, when they were maintained at different water-temperatures. Each point represents the mean i S.D. of 3 replicates.

FIG. 2. Survival rate of C. macrocephalus larvae at different times of the experimental period, when they were maintained at different water-temperatures. Each point represents the mean S.D. of 3 replicates.

groups of larvae maintained at water temperatures of 35, 30 and 27-30C respectively (Table 1). Using Duncan's Multiple Range test, it was found that the mean length-gain fish"' at day 7 in Group I (35C) and II (30C) was

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significantly higher than that of Group III (ambient temperature). A similar trend was observed at day 14. At day 21, the mean length-gain fish" in Group I was significantly higher than that of Group III but significantly lower than that in Group II. The mean length-gain fish" in Group I and II was not significantly different at day 28. However, these two groups exhibited significantly higher length-gain when compared to Group III. Figure 2 shows the survival rates of larvae under various temperature regimes at different days during the experiment. Using Analysis of variance it was found that there was no significant difference in the mean survival rates among the different treatment groups.
TABLE

1. ANOVA table, for mean increase in total length {mm) of C. macrocephalus (Gunther) larvae at different times of the experimental period when they were maintained at different water temperatures. Sources of variation Between groups Within groups Between groups Within groups Between groups Within groups Between groups Within groups Degree of freedom, 2 6 2 6 2 6 2 6 Sum of squares 5.482 0.714 22.615 2.294 98.420 4.100 81.236 8.567 Mean square 2.741 0.119 11.307 0.382 49.210 0.683 40.618 1.427 F value 20.033** 29.599** 72.057** 28.463**

Day 7 14 21 28

** Significant at p < 0.01

DISCUSSION

Water temperature plays an important role in the growth and survival of fish in young stages. Results of the present study showed that the rate of growth in terms of length-gain fish" in Group III (27-30C) was significantly lower than those in Group I (35C) and Group II (30C) throughout the whole experimental period. Rate of digestion ajppears to be the main limiting factor to consumption and hence retards the growth at low temperature. In sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) fingerling the rate of digestion drops significantly as the temperature is decreased from 15C, a temperature optimum for its growth. The digestion rate approaches zero at about 0C (Brett and Higgs 1970). Digestion has

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been reported to proceed faster with the rising temperature in Fundulus heteroclitus (Nicholls 1931), Mkropterus salmoides (Molnar and Tolg 1962), Perca fluviatilis, Silurus glanis (Molnar et al 1967), Ictalurus nebulosus (Smit 1967) and Ictalurus punctatus (Shrable et al 1969), reaching a maximum rate as the general limit of temperature tolerance is approached. With increasing temperature the food evacuation time has been shown to be progressively reduced (Edwards 1971, Jobling and Davies 1979). Any factor which reduces the time a meal remains in the gastrointestinal tract could reduce assimilation efficiency (Jobling et al 1977) but not the rate of gastric digestion within the normal temperature range of a species since gastric acid and enzyme secretion vary directly with the meal size and temperature (Gregory 1965, Smit 1967). Increase in length, as observed in the present study, is related to the assimilated energy available for growth. Assimilation efficiency reflects total available energy uptakes, digestion rate merely reflects breakdown of food intake; not necessarily all food digested is assimilated. Thus although the requirements for food intake are increased as temperature increases beyond the optimum range (Winberg 1956) the energy available for growth is not identical with the digestion rate. Therefore, the sustained capacity to consume and digest does not necessarily imply an availability of more energy for growth when the fish are maintained at a temperature above the optimal for the species concerned. Since C. macrocephalus larvae maintained at 35C failed to show significantly higher growth rate when compared with those maintained at 30C it cannot be said with certainty from the present study whether this temperature (35C) is above the optimum level for culturing the larvae of this species. Although the survival rates in all three groups were not significantly different throughout the study period, the growth rate of larvae maintained at 30C was significantly faster than those maintained at 35C at day 21 and 28. This indicates that a water temperature of 30C is the most suitable for the culture of C. macrocephalus larvae.
REFERENCES BRETT,

J. R. AND D . A. HIGGS. 1970. Effect of temperature on the rate of gastric digestion in fingerling sockeye salmon, Oncorhychus nerka. J. Fish, Res. Bd. Canada, 27: 1767-1779. J. 1971. Effects of temperature on the rate of passage of food through the alimentary canal of the plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.). J. Fish Biol., 3: 433-439.

EDWARDS, D . ELLIOT, ELLIOT,

J. M. 1975a. The growth rate of brown trout, Salmo trutta L. fed on maximum rations. /. Anim. Ecol., 44: 805-821. J. M. 1975b. The growth rate of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) fed on reduced rations. J. Anim. Ecol., 44: 823-842. A. 1965. Secretory mechanisms of the digestive tract. Ann. Rev. Physiol,, 27: 395-414.

GREGORY, R.

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JoBLiNG, M. A N D P. S. DAVIES. 1979. Gastric evacuation in plaice, Pleuronectes platessa L.: effects of temperature and meal size. ]. Fish. Biol., 14: 539-546. JoBLiNG, M., D. GWYTHER A N D D. J. GROVE. 1977. Some effects of temperature, meal size and body weight on gastric evacuation time in the dab. Limanda limanda (L.). y. Fish Biol. 10: 291-298. Kuo, C. M., Z. H. SHEHADEH AND C . E. NASH. 1973. Indueced spawning of captive grey mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) females by injection of human chorionic gonadotropin. Aqiiacultiire. 1: 429-432.
MCCORMICK, J. H., K. E. F. HOKANSON AND B. R. JONES. 1972. Effects of young brook

trout, Salvelinus fontinalis. J. Fish Res. Bd. Canada, 29: 1107-1112. MoLNAR, G . , E . TAMASSY AND I. TOLG. 1967. The gastric digestion of living, predatory fish. /' The Biological Basis of Freshwater Fish production, 135-149, S. D. Gerking (Ed.), Blackwell Scientific Publications, Oxford. MoLNAR, G. A N D I. TOLG. 1962. Relation between water temperature and gastric digestion of largemciuth bass, Macropterus salmoides. J. Fish. Res. Bd. Canada, 19: 10051015. NiCHOLLS, J. V. V. 1931. The influence of temperature on digestion in Fundalus heteroclitiis. Contr. Can. Biol. Fish., 7: 45-55.
SHRABLE, J. B., O. W TIEMEIER AND C . W . DEYOE. 1969. Effects of temperature on rate

of digestion by channel catfish. Prog. Fish.Cult., 31: 131-138. SMIT, H . 1967. Influence of temperature on the rate of gastric juice secretion in the brown bullhead (Ictalurus nebulosus). Comp, Biochem. Physiol., 21: 125-132. STAUFFER, G . D . 1973 A growth model for salmonids reared in hatchery environments. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Washingron, Seatle. VANN, E . 1972. Fundamentals of Biostatistics. D. C. Heath and Company, Lexington, Massachusetts, Toronto, London, pp. 184. WiNBERO, G. G. 1956. Rate of metabolism and food requirements of fishes. Transl. from Russian by: Fish. Res. Bd. Canada Transl. Ser. No. 194 (1960).