Assessment of water quality in Kigera Fish Farm, New Bussa

The physico-chemical and biological characteristics and nutrient concentration of Kigera Fish Farm ponds were monitored for two months to assess the water quality. The parameters measured were dissolved oxygen, temperature, hydrogen ion concentration, Secchi-disc transparency and zooplankton composition. Some fish species were identified in the course of study. Temperature ranged from 26 -30degreesC; dissolved oxygen ranged from 3mg/l-6.6mg/l, pH ranged 7.0 -7.2; while Secchi-disc transparency ranged from 0.19 - 0.25m. The three ponds were quite similar in these parameters. All the parameters that were investigated in this study are within the tolerable level for warm water fishes. Five different zooplankton species were identified at the Kigera Fish Farm, and were grouped according to their major categories namely: Copepods, Cyclopoids and Copepodite), Cladoceran (Moina), and Rotifera (Asplanchina). Branchionus species in the Rotifers group dominated the zooplankton species in all the three ponds