Changes in Haematological parameters of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) exposed to sponge plant (Luffa cylindrica) leaf extract

The study examined the changes observed in the haematological parameters of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) juveniles exposed to sub-lethal concentrations (883mg/L, 1766mg/L, 3532mg/L, 7063 mg/L and 0.00mg/L as control) of sponge plant (Luffa cylindrica) leaf extract using static renewable bioassay for 8 weeks. Two fish from each treatment were sacrificed biweekly and blood samples collected for haematological analysis. During this period, some ecological parameters (pH, Dissolved Oxygen, Temperature, Electric conductivity and Total Dissolved Solids) were monitored. The ecological parameters were relatively stable and were within acceptable limits except for pH which was lower than the recommended range while TDS and conductivity increased with increase in concentration and exposure time. The red blood cell counts, heamoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, platelets and packed cell volumes levels of C. gariepinus exposed to sub-lethal concentration of the fruit extract decreased with increase in concentration and exposure time. These decreases were significantly different from that of the control except for mean corpuscular volume (4.65±0.21x1012/L to 2.93±0.81x1012/L; 8.53±0.31g/dL to 6.85±0.1.05g/dL; 6.04±0.69x10-3 to 7.69±2.19x10-3; 87.75±6.34x109/L to 58.75±6.29x109/L, 28.00±2.45% to 21.00±3.46% and 3.60±0.69x109/L to 4. 87±0.18x109/L respectively) while the white blood cell counts increased significantly across the different concentrations. This study concludes that, the fruit extract of L. cylindrica caused negative changes in the haematological parameters of C. garienpinus which can give insight knowledge on the reason for the continuous depletion in our natural fish resources, especially in places where this obnoxious fishing practice is being carried out