Effects of Cu,Zn and Cd on larval development and respiratory metabolism of pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai)

Trochophore and veliger are vulnerable pelagic larvae and susceptible to environmental toxicants, which are extremely crucial for the population renewal. Cu, Zn and Cd pollution are common elements in metal pollution in coastal areas. Though Pacific abalone is the main economic mollusc in China, its larval response to metals remains unclear. To understand this, the effect of Cu, Zn and Cd toxicity on malformation classification and respiratory metabolism of trochophore and veliger are analysed and measured in this paper. The 48 hr EC₅₀ for abalone trochophore was (18.9 ± 1.0) μg/L for Cu, (65.1 ± 0.3) μg/L for Zn and (1,377.8 ± 68.9) μg/L for Cd respectively. The LC₅₀ of veliger was (45.8 ± 0.9) μg/L for Cu, (50.0 ± 0.9) μg/L for Zn and (1,049.3 ± 37.6) μg/L for Cd respectively. Trochophore died with no shell at 128 μg/L Cu, yet remained alive with multiple broken‐shell bodies at 128 μg/L Zn and failed to form well‐developed shells at 20,480 μg/L Cd. All veliger died with complete shells at the mentioned concentrations. A self‐made device was used to study the effect on respiratory metabolism. The respiratory metabolism level was significantly fluctuating under Cu and Zn exposure and declined under Cd. The results indicated a decreasing order of the metal toxicity to trochophore and veliger as follows: Cu > Zn ? Cd. Cu and Zn were the main causes of shell abnormality, and Cd was less toxic. Moreover, the affected respiratory has a negative impact on further larval development.     

ACUTE TOXICITY OF NITRITE TO SEA BASS (Dicentrarchus labrax) AND EUROPEAN EEL (Anguilla anguilla)

Static acute toxicity tests of 4 and 7 days duration were performed on sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and European eel (Anguilla anguilla). The 96-hour LC₅₀ for sea bass (x?; = 5 cm) was 274, 220, and 154 mg/liter N-NO₂ at water temperatures of 17, 23 and 27°C, respectively, in sea water. The 96-hour LC₅₀ for eel elvers was 84, 213, 264, 503, 812 and 974 at salinities of 0, 6, 12, 24, 30 and 36 g/liter.     

Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties and P‐glycoprotein expression in pacific white shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei after oral administration at three dosages of oxolinic acid

The experiments explored the pharmacokinetics (PK) properties of oxolinic acid (OXA) after oral administration at three dosages (10, 30 and 80 mg/kg) via medicated feed in the shrimp. The results showed that the C_max values of 4.31, 14.93 and 16.62 mg/L and AUC_0–∞ values of 92.61, 252.30 and 364.27 mg hr^?1 L^?1 were observed at three OXA dosage groups in the haemolymph respectively. In the hepatopancreas, C_max values of 7.90, 27.23 and 60.51 mg/kg and AUC_0–∞ values of 42.01, 133.06 and 219.06 mg hr^?1 L^?1 were observed at 0.5 hr post administration respectively. In the muscle, C_max values of 1.62, 5.80 and 7.36 mg/kg and the AUC_0–∞ values of 25.64, 98.10 and 134.24 mg hr^?1 L^?1 were observed at 2 hr post administration respectively. In the gills, C_max values of 2.87, 8.08 and 12.12 mg/kg and the AUC_0–∞ values of 51.38, 118.65 and 206.48 mg hr^?1 L^?1 were observed at 4 hr post administration respectively. In addition, the in vitro MIC values of OXA at three dosages against 132 strains of Vibrio were examined and showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for OXA primarily ranged from 0.15–1.25 µg/ml, including eight strains of Vibrio showing MIC values ≥5 µg/ml. The MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀ values of 132 strains were 0.62 and 1.25 μg/ml respectively. The AUC_0–24/MIC₉₀ ratios of Vibrio were 140.4 in 30 mg/kg group. Furthermore, the P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) expression was determined in shrimp tissues after administration to three dosage groups (10, 30 and 80 mg/kg). The results showed that P‐gp expression was up‐regulated in the hepatopancreas (5.36‐, 13.68‐ and 31.06‐fold respectively) compared with the control group.     

Use of neem oil (Azadirachta indica) to control caligid copepod infestation on Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) culture in marine cages have been developed rapidly in Malaysia. The high intensity of culture might facilitate several disease infection including caligid infestation. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of neem oil (Azadirachta indica) against caligid parasites on seabass. The prevalence and clinical pathogen of Caligus infection has been described through a sampling of 150 fish from floating cage at different cultured periods. Acute toxic tests with different concentrations of neem oil were carried out on the parasite and fish host. Results revealed that the 96‐hr median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of Caligus and fish (10.3 ± 2.5 g of body weight) were 2 and 20 ppm respectively. The in vivo test indicated that 10 ppm of neem oil could result in 100% antiparasitic efficacy within 96 hr. These results therapeutically demonstrated the efficacy of neem oil in caligid control.     

Ammonia tolerance of Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) larvae

The tolerance of Litopenaeus vannamei larvae to increasing concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) using a short‐term static renewal method at 26°C, 34 g L^?1 salinity and pH 8.5 was assessed. The median lethal concentration (24 h LC₅₀) for TAN in zoea (1‐2‐3), mysis (1‐2‐3) and postlarvae 1 were, respectively, 4.2‐9.9‐16.0; 19.0‐17.3‐17.5 and 13.2 mg L^?1TAN (0.6‐1.5‐2.4; 2.8‐2.5‐2.6 and 1.9 mg L^?1 NH₃‐N). The LC₅₀ values obtained in this study suggest that zoeal and post‐larval stages are more sensitive to 24 h ammonia exposure than the mysis stage of L. vannamei larvae. On the basis of the ammonia toxicity level (24 h LC₅₀) at zoea 1, we recommend that this level does not exceed 0.42 mg L^?1 TAN – equivalent to 0.06 mg L^?1 NH₃‐N – to reduce ammonia toxicity during the rearing of L. vannamei larvae.     

Ammonia toxicity and its effect on the growth of the South African abalone Haliotis midae Linnaeus

The current study investigated acute toxicity to ammonia of the South African abalone, Haliotis midae, from three size classes relevant to mariculture operations, and the chronic impact of sub-lethal ammonia levels on growth of juvenile abalone.Results showed that tolerance to ammonia (at pH 7.8 and T_a = 15 °C) increases with body size (i.e. age) as indicated by 36 h LC₅₀ values: juvenile abalone (1-2.5 cm shell length) had the lowest LC₅₀ of 9.8 μg l^− 1 FAN, whereas LC₅₀ was 12.9 μg l^− 1 FAN in “cocktail”-size abalone (5-8 cm shell length). The highest LC₅₀ of 16.4 μg l^− 1 FAN was observed in “brood stock”-size animals (10-15 cm). When “cocktail”-size abalone were allowed to acclimatize to sub-lethal ammonia levels for 48 h, their ammonia tolerance increased compared with non-acclimatized abalone of the same size: LC₅₀ was 2.0 μg l^− 1 FAN higher at 14.8 μg l^− 1 FAN.Growth of juvenile abalone (1-2.5 cm shell length) during chronic exposure to sub-lethal FAN levels is inhibited: specific growth rate (SGR) is significantly reduced by 58.7% to 0.10 ± 0.03% d^− 1 (weight) compared with 0.24 ± 0.06% d^− 1 of abalone of a control group (no ammonia).The results demonstrate the negative effects of ammonia not only on survival but also on growth of farmed abalone, both impair profitability of the farming operation. The information from the present study will be helpful in determining water quality requirements in South African abalone farms.     

Use of Iodized Versus Non-iodized Sodium Chloride in Therapeutic Dips and Baths for Freshwater Fish

Salt (NaCl) is a common therapeutant in fish culture. The use of salt containing iodine may be harmful to fish. The goal of this study was to determine if using iodized saltfor dips and baths increases morbidity/mortality of fish and establishes the LC₅₀ of iodine for three commercially important species: koi, Cyprinus carpi; guppy, Poecilia reticulata; and Jack Dempsey, Rocio octofasciata. Fish were exposedto a salt bath (4 g/L) or a salt dip (25 g/L) using either iodized or non-iodized salt and observed for clinical signs of iodine toxicity or death. For the LC₅₀ trials, one fish of each species was exposed to a range of iodine concentrations for a period of 24 h. There were no significant differences in mortality between fish treated with iodized vs. non-iodized salt. The use of iodized salt for baths and dips appears to be safe in the three species tested. LC₅₀ of iodine in these species appears to be greater than 1.4 mg/L.     

Acute and chronic toxicity of nitrate to fat greenling (Hexagrammos otakii) juveniles

We evaluated the acute and chronic toxicity of nitrate to juvenile fat greenling Hexagrammos otakii. The 24‐, 48‐, 72‐, and 96‐hr LC₅₀s of nitrate to 1.91 ± 0.7 g greenlings were 2,741, 2,413.5, 2,357.6, or 2,339.2 mg/L nitrate‐N, respectively. Greenlings (6.55 ± 1.83 g) were exposed to 5 mg/L (control) and 157 mg/L for 4 weeks in a recirculating aquaculture system. After 4 weeks, length, weight, feed conversion ratio, and specific growth rate were significantly (p < 0.05) lower for nitrate‐exposed fish than for control fish. Elevated nitrate exposure was associated with decreased plasma hemoglobin concentration and red blood cell count. Our results demonstrate that nitrate poses a threat to greenlings and provide information that is useful for establishing water quality criteria for early life stages of this cultured fish. The sensitivity of greenlings to elevated NO₃^? should be evaluated at other life stages to determine how chronic exposure might impact survival, growth, health, reproductive success, and harvest quality.     

Toxicity of a synthetic phenolic antioxidant,butyl hydroxytoluene (BHT), in vertebrate model zebrafish embryo (Danio rerio)

The synthetic antioxidant 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐hydroxytoluene (BHT) is widely used as an additive in the food, cosmetic and plastic industries to increase the tenability of food and plastic for the past 70 years. BHT is degraded to 3,5‐di‐test‐butyl‐4‐hydroxybenzaldehyde (BHT‐CHO) in mammals, as well as in the natural environment such as in river and water. The average daily intake of BHT for human being is estimated to be 0.3 mg/kg body weight. Even though it is considered safe for human at authorized level, but its ubiquitous presence in the aquatic environment and the controversial toxicological data are of great concern for human as well as aquatic life. The experimental findings of zebrafish embryo toxicity test (ZFET) showed that the acute toxicity of 96‐hr (LC₅₀) exposure during the embryogenic stage was found to be 4.388 mg/L and the effective concentration (EC₅₀) was 1.375 mg/L. The reduce heart rate from the sublethal concentrations indicates the chemical to be cardiotoxic but a further review is to be needed. The Teratogenic Index (TI) calculated to be 3.19, which implies the compound may be a potential teratogen in aquatic life. The findings obtained in this study will stretch more evidence regarding developmental toxicity of BHT, which will be of much importance in further risk assessment of ecotoxicological studies.     

Toxicity of chlorine to different sizes of black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon) in low-salinity shrimp pond water

An experiment was conducted, in a dark room with controlled temperature (27.3–28.4 °C), to determine the acute toxicity of chlorine concentration to black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon fabicus) of sizes 0.02 g, 2.75 g, 8.47 g and 23.65 g. Toxicity tests on each of these shrimp sizes were run in triplicate in glass jars under static conditions without media renewal. The concentration of active chlorine that killed 50% of the shrimp of each size after 24‐h exposure (LC₅₀‐24 h) was used as an indicator of acute toxicity. Chlorine concentrations applied in the shrimp toxicity test ranged from 2.0 to 14.5 mg L^?1 in shrimp pond water. As the test water contained total suspended solids of 22.0–85.0 mg L^?1 and total ammonia nitrogen of 0.18–0.40 mg L^?1, the resultant concentrations of combined residual chlorine ranged from 0.6 to 3.5 mg L^?1, which were the effective doses causing shrimp mortality. The test results showed that 24‐h LC₅₀ for average shrimp size at 0.02, 2.75, 8.47 and 23.65 g occurred in water containing combined residual chlorine at a concentration of 0.91, 1.39, 1.74 and 1.98 mg L^?1, for which the original application doses were 6.96, 2.05 11.50 and 13.34 mg L^?1 respectively.     

Effect of ammonia and nitrite on vigour,survival rate,moulting rate of the blue swimming crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Portunus pelagicus</Emphasis> zoea

The effects of ammonia and nitrite on vigour, survival rate, moulting rate of zoea of blue swimming crab, Portunus pelagicus, were studied. A total of five nitrite-N treatments (26.67, 53.34, 106.68, 213.36, 426.72 mg/l) and a control (no nitrite-N added) were set up for the acute nitrite-N toxicity experiment; a total of five ammonia-N treatments (8.43, 16.86, 33.72, 67.44, 134.88 mg/l) and a control (no ammonia-N added) were set up for the acute ammonia-N toxicity experiment. The results showed that the vigour, survival rate and moulting rate of zoea of the blue swimming crabs exposed to over 53.34 mg/l were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the control group. The zoea LC₅₀ values (mg/l) of nitrite-N were 179.47, 76.56, 66.70, 37.49, 25.01, 25.35, 25.34 mg/l for 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 h, respectively. The vigour, survival rate and moulting rate of zoea of the blue swimming crabs exposed to over 16.86 mg/l were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the control group. The zoea LC₅₀ values (mg/l) of ammonia-N were 51.04, 39.62, 38.72, 24.43, 16.90, 13.42, 11.16 mg/l for 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84, 96 h, respectively. The zoeae are highly sensitive to ammonia and nitrite, and the toxicity of ammonia and nitrite on Portunus pelagicus decrease with development of this crab.     

Pharmacokinetics of minocycline in crucian carp (Carassius auratus) after intravenous and oral administration

The pharmacokinetic of minocycline was studied after a single intravenous as well as oral dose (5 mg/kg body weight) in crucian carp (Carassius auratus) reared in freshwater at 10°C. Plasma samples were randomly collected from six fish at each sampling time. Plasma concentrations were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography and further subjected to noncompartmental analysis. Initial concentration of minocycline just after intravenous administration was calculated as 7.320 μg/ml, while the other parameters after intravenous injection were determined as flows: apparent elimination rate constant (λ_z) of 0.064 per hr, apparent elimination half‐life () of 10.82 hr, total body clearance (Cl) of 142.72 ml/hr/kg, volume of distribution (Vz) of 2,227.38 ml/kg and volume of distribution at steady‐state (Vss) of 1,937.08 ml/kg. While after oral administration, the λ_z, , mean absorption time (MAT), absorption half‐life (t_1/2ka) and bioavailability were determined as 0.059 per hr, 11.74, 5.55, 3.84 hr, and 81.98%, respectively, and the peak concentration was observed as 1.474 ± 0.362 μg/ml at 8 hr. It was shown that minocycline was slowly but relatively completely absorbed, extensively distributed, and slowly eliminated in crucian carp. Based on the ratios of AUC_0–24 hr/MIC90, a minocycline dosage of 5 mg/kg body weight administered intravenously or orally would be only effective to successfully treat crucian carp infected by bacterium with MIC values ≤0.25 μg/ml.     

Influence of different diets on the growth,survival, fecundity and proximate composition of brine shrimp Artemia franciscana (Kellog, 1906)

Artemia franciscana was studied under in vitro conditions, and fed with five different microalgae species, two organic diets and one mixed diet to evaluate the nutritional profile and growth performance. The A. franciscana instar‐I nauplii were stocked at a density of 100 per litre of ground borewell water with a salinity of 70 ppt in a plastic container and the culture continued for 12 days. The A. franciscana was fed with five microalgal species, such as Tetraselmis sp., Chaetoceros sp., Isochrysis sp., Thalassiosira sp. and Nannochloropsis sp., and organic diets of rice bran, soybean meal, and a mixture of Tetraselmis sp. and Chaetoceros sp. with rice bran, giving a total of eight experiments. The growth of A. franciscana was measured by length, and was observed to be the greatest (10,850 μm) in the group that was fed the mixed algae combination, and the lowest (7,290 μm) in the group that was fed Nannochloropsis sp. Among the different treatments, the highest survival value of 76% was seen in the group that was fed Chaetoceros sp. The fecundity was higher in A. franciscana that were fed with algae Chaetoceros sp., while the lower rate was observed with the group that was fed Nannochloropsis sp. Analysis of proximate composition showed increased levels in the animals fed with Chaetoceros sp. (lipid, 19.40%; eicosapentaenoic acid, 6.70 mg; docosahexaenoic acid, 10.20 mg; amino acids: proline, 2.06 μg; histidine, 0.77 μg, arginine, 0.65 μg, glycine, 0.80 μg, glutamic acid, 1.75 μg; threonine, 1.42 μg) and the mixed diet (protein, 58.59%; carbohydrate, 21.30%; amino acids: asparagine, 0.90 μg; serine, 1.65 μg; tryptophan, 1.66 μg; leucine, 1.50 μg; phenylalanine, 1.14 μg; valine, 0.66 μg). All components showed the lowest level in the diet fed with Tetraselmis species. These A. franciscana populations showed better survival, higher fecundity and biochemical profiles when cultured with microalgae Chaetoceros sp. These data are useful to improve A. franciscana culture in aquaculture to produce quality cysts and biomass, especially in feeding larvae of marine species.     

Oregano (Origanum vulgare) essential oil as an additive in diets for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings reared in salinized water

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of oregano essential oil on the growth performance, blood glucose levels, body composition and intestinal morphometry of Nile tilapia reared in salinized water at 10 g/L for 64 days. The experiment was set up as a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replicates, in which a control diet and four diets containing increasing concentrations of oregano essential oil (0.75, 1.5, 2.25 and 3.0 g/kg) were tested. The best results for the growth parameters were obtained with the oregano essential oil inclusion level of 0.75 g/kg, but did not differ (p > .05) from inclusion levels of 0.0, 2.25 and 3.0 g/kg. Conversely, the treatment including the oil level of 1.5 g/kg was the only one to produce significantly (p < .05) lower results. The body composition and blood glucose were not significantly affected. Intestinal morphometry analysis revealed a significant effect on villus length, which increased with the proportion of oregano essential oil added to the diet; accordingly, the inclusion level of 3.0 g/kg provided the best results for this variable. Therefore, the addition of oregano essential oil at 3.0 g/kg in the diet of Nile tilapia cultured in salinized water may act as a stimulant to intestinal villus development and, consequently, as a growth promoter.     

Nanoemulsion from essential oil of Pterodon emarginatus (Fabaceae) shows in vitro efficacy against monogeneans of Colossoma macropomum (Pisces: Serrasalmidae)

Outbreaks of diseases pose a major threat to sustainable aquaculture development worldwide. Application of herbal products to combat parasitic diseases provides an alternative approach for sustainable aquaculture. This study investigated the in vitro antiparasitic effects of an oil‐in‐water nanoemulsion prepared using the essential oil from Pterodon emarginatus, against monogeneans infesting Colossoma macropomum. Gill arches from C. macropomum (47.6 ± 14.5 g and 13.5 ± 1.4 cm) that were naturally parasitized by Anacanthorus spathulatus, Notozothecium janauachensis and Mymarothecium boegeri were immersed in different dispersions of the P. emarginatus nanoemulsions (0, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 600 mg/L). The major compounds presented in the essential oil of P. emarginatus were β‐elemene, β‐caryophyllene and α‐humulene. Characterization of these nanoemulsions showed that they have a small mean droplet size and low polydispersity index, which is concordant with stable systems. In this in vitro trial, the P. emarginatus nanoemulsion concentrations of 100, 200, 400 and 600 mg/L presented 100% helminthic efficacy against monogeneans of the gills of C. macropomum. The highest two concentrations used (400 and 600 mg/L) were seen to immobilize the parasites after only 15 min. Therefore, it would be worthwhile testing these concentrations in therapeutic baths against monogeneans of C. macropomum.     

Acute toxicity of nitrite on white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone) juveniles in low‐salinity water

The nitrite toxicity was estimated in juveniles of L. vannamei. The 24, 48, 72 and 96 h LC₅₀ of nitrite‐N on juveniles were 8.1, 7.9, 6.8 and 5.7 mg L^?1 at 0.6 g L^?1; 14.4, 9.6 8.3 and 7.0 mg L^?1 at 1.0 g L^?1; 19.4, 15.4, 13.4 and 12.4 mg L^?1 at 2.0 g L^?1 of salinity respectively. The tolerance of juveniles to nitrite decreased at 96 h of exposure by 18.6% and 54.0%, when salinity declined from 1.0 to 0.6 g L^?1 and from 2.0 to 0.6 g L^?1 respectively. The safe concentrations at salinities of 0.6, 1.0 and 2.0 g L^?1 were 0.28, 0.35 and 0.62 mg L^?1 nitrite‐N respectively. The relationship between LC₅₀ (mg L^?1), salinity (S) (g L^?1) and exposure time (T) (h) was LC₅₀ = 8.4688 + 5.6764S – 0.0762T for salinities from 0.6 to 2.0 g L^?1 and for exposure times from 24 to 96 h; the relationship between survival (%) and nitrite‐N concentration (C) for salinity of 0.6–2.0 g L^?1, nitrite‐N concentrations of 0–40 mg L^?1 and exposure times from 0 to 96 h was as follows: survival (%) = 0.8442 + 0.1909S – 0.0038T – 0.0277C + 0.0008ST + 0.0001CT–0.0029SC, and the tentative equation for predicting the 96‐h LC₅₀ to salinities from 0.6 to 35 g L^?1 in L. vannamei juveniles (3.9–4.4 g) was 96‐h LC₅₀ = 0.2127 S² + 1.558S + 5.9868. For nitrite toxicity, it is shown that a small change in salinity of waters from 2.0 to 0.6 g L^?1 is more critical for L. vannamei than when wider differences in salinity occur in brackish and marine waters (15–35 g L^?1).     

Antiviral activities of Clinacanthus nutans (Burm.f.) Lindau extract against Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 in koi (Cyprinus carpio koi)

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3) or koi herpesvirus (KHV) is a virulent viral infection in common carp and koi. The disease has caused global epizootic and economic loss in fish aquaculture and in the wild. Clinacanthus nutans (Burm. f.) Lindau is a well‐known medicinal plant used in Thai traditional medicine. Virucidal effects of the plant extract against human herpes simplex virus have been reported. In this study, C. nutans crude extract was tested for antiviral activities against CyHV‐3 in koi carp. Results showed effective antiviral activity against CyHV‐3 pre‐ and post‐infection. The 50% lethal concentration (LC₅₀) of extract was higher than 5 mg/ml. The 50% effective dose (ED₅₀) was 0.99 mg/ml, 0.78 mg/ml, 0.75 mg/ml and 0.71 mg/ml at 1, 2, 3 and 4 hr pre‐infection, respectively. The ED₅₀ from post‐infection tests was 2.05 mg/ml and 2.34 mg/ml at 0 and 24 hr, respectively. These results demonstrated that crude extract expressed antiviral activity against CyHV‐3 and can be applied as a therapeutic agent in common carp and koi aquaculture.     

Toxicity of Peracetic Acid to Fish: Variation among Species and Impact of Water Chemistry

There has been strong interest in the use of peracetic acid (PAA) in aquaculture as it can be used to disinfect water and hard surfaces and thereby eliminate or lower the burden of fish pathogens. Unfortunately, there has been little research on the toxicity of PAA to fish. Twelve species of fingerling fish that are important to aquaculture were exposed to PAA for 24 h in static toxicity bioassays in well water. These fish were: fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas; black‐nose crappie, Pomoxis nigromaculatus; bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus; blue tilapia, Oreochromis aureus; channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus; golden shiner, Notemigonus crysoleucas; goldfish, Carassius auratus; grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella; largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides; rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss; sunshine bass, Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis; and walleye, Sander vitreus. Median lethal concentration (LC₅₀) values were estimated with the trimmed Spearman–Karber method using nominal PAA concentrations. The mean 24‐h LC₅₀ values ranged from 2.8 to 9.3 mg/L PAA. Fathead minnow were very sensitive and blue tilapia were very tolerant to PAA exposure; LC₅₀ values of other species tested were within the range of 4.1–6.2 mg/L PAA. More importantly, the 24‐h no‐observed‐effect concentration (NOEC) ranged from 1.9 to 5.8 mg/L PAA; the NOEC would be considered as the safe range for culturists to investigate the use of PAA. Decreased alkalinity/hardness increased the toxicity of PAA, while a small increase of dissolved organic content had no effect on PAA toxicity. Results of the present study are important information on the safe application of PAA for the aquaculture industry.     

DEET (N,N‐diethyl‐m‐toluamide) Toxicity to Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,Sac Fry

The combination of open facilities, moisture, and warm weather during channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, spawning season causes mosquito‐infestation problems. A common solution to mosquito problems in hatcheries is to use mosquito repellents applied to exposed skin and clothing. DEET (N,N‐diethyl‐m‐toluamide) is the active ingredient in most personal insect repellents. We determined the 24‐h acute toxicity of DEET to channel catfish fry. The toxicity test consisted of 10 sac fry in three replications of six concentrations (range: 157–478 μL/L) and a control. In addition to toxicity testing, a trial was conducted to determine the amount of active ingredient dispensed from two different applicators: a pump sprayer and an aerosol can. The 24‐h lethal concentration (LC₁₀) was 274 ppm, and the 24‐h LC₅₀ was 345 ppm. The concentration required to kill 50% of the organisms was above the 100 ppm threshold to be considered practically non‐toxic. The pump sprayer (98.11% active ingredient) dispensed 113.3 ± 0.57 mg (mean ± SEM) active ingredient per pump. The aerosol can (30% active ingredient) dispensed 526.8 ± 6.71 mg (mean ± standard error mean [SEM]) active ingredient per second. In hatcheries where air movement by fans is not sufficient to control mosquitoes, using insect repellent products containing DEET should be safe.     

Toxicity of four commonly used chemotherapeutic compounds to fry of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell)

Acute toxicity tests were carried out for four compounds commonly used against various fish pathogens to determine their 24-h LC₅₀ values to fry of the African catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell). Compounds tested and their calculated 24-h LC₅₀ values (mg l^?1) were as follows: praziquantel (13.4); malachite green oxalate (0.14); acriflavin neutral (10.0); and mebendazole (315). The results show that dosage levels of malachite green oxalate, praziquantel and acriflavin neutral recommended in the literature for the control of most fish ectoparasitoses caused substantial mortalities and cannot be applied to Clarias gariepinus fry.