Revista Europea de Biología Experimental Acceso abierto

Abstracto

Variations in the rate of oxygen consumption by fry and fingerlings of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822)

Asaad H. Mohamed, Augusto E. Serrano. Jr and Rex Ferdinand M. Traifalgar

The oxygen consumption rate of a freshwater catfish Clarias gariepinus in relation to the individual different body weight classes was investigated. The average body weight of the fry and fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus were 0.25 – 0.50 g, and 3.80 – 6.60 g, respectively. The oxygen consumption rates for both treatments (feeding and starvation) for Clarias gariepinus fry ranged from 1.28 mlO2h-1 to 9.55 mlO2h-1 and for the fingerlings was 0.13 ml O2 h-1 to 0.89 mlO2h-1 when fed commercial to satiation (37% crude protein). Oxygen consumption ranged from 1.675 mlO2h-1 to 1.163 ml O2 h-1 for the fry, and from 4.244 mlO2h-1 to 0.170 mlO2h-1 for fingerlings starved for 72 h. Oxygen consumption rate differed in both sizes and between feeding status during the measurement period compared. Oxygen consumption rates was also influenced by the prevailing temperature (range= 18ºC – 20ºC) in which it decreased during nighttime and increased during daytime (24 – 28oC). Individual oxygen consumption was positively correlated with body weight but was inversely correlated with the unit weight of the catfish.