REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE AND SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY OF FEMALE Clarias gariepinus BROODSTOCK RAISED IN POND EFFLUENT WATER

The reproductive performance and serum biochemistry of female Clarias gariepinus raised in pond effluent water under laboratory condition for 70 days were investigated. Reproductive performance parameters showed that there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in the quantity of egg spawned and percentage fertilization in fish raised in spring and pond effluent water. However, fish raised in spring water had the best percentage hatchability (84.15%) which was significantly different (P<0.05) from fish raised in pond effluent water (67.85%). Survival rate of newly hatched larvae from brood fish raised in spring water was 90.00%, this was significantly different (P<0.05) from 70.50 % recorded for hatchlings from brood fish raised in pond effluent water. Fish raised in pond effluent water had higher (P<0.0.5) values of plasma excretory products (urea and creatinine), 29.00mg/dl and 1.30mg/dl respectively, compared with 16.5mg/dl and 0.91mg/dl in fish raised in spring water, which indicated a pathological effect. Serum electrolytes, enzyme activities and plasma proteins of the female brood fish were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the treatments. It could therefore be concluded that pond effluent water should be treated before it is used for rearing brooders