Impact of sublethal concentrations of pollutants in the Budha nallah brook on ovarian recrudescence in Indian catfish, heteropneustes fossilis (B1.)‐IV

The effect of prolonged (60 days) exposure of sublethal (25%, 50%) concentrations (v/v) of the polluted Budha Nallah water on ovarian recrudescence and fecundity in Heteropneustes fossils was studied. The process of ovarian recrudescence was significantly retarded as evidenced by the low ovarian weights and the low occurrence of the vitellogenic (Stage II) and the yolky (stage III) oocytes in the ovaries of treated fish. A high occurrence of atretic oocytes was also noticed in the treated fish ovaries. The fecundity was also significantly low in Budha Nallah water exposed fish. Further, it was recorded that the magnitude of the effect on different parameters mentioned above was influenced by the concentration of the Budha Nallah water to which the fish was exposed.

Key words:

• Pollution
• fish
• reproduction
• Budha Nallah brook