Freshwater mussel (Lamelliedens marginalis) to reduce the lead (Pb) bioaccumulation in aquaculture of stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis

ABSTRACT

The freshwater mussel (Lamellidens marginalis) was employed with a 28-day aquarium rearing of stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) exposed to a sublethal concentration (0.75 mg/l) of Pb(NO₃)₂ to evaluate the growth, Pb bioaccumulation, and associated liver histopathology in fish. Three treatments (T₂, T₃, and T₄) and a control (T₁) were assigned with 20 fish and 5, 20, 40, and 0 numbers of mussel each. The specific growth rate, percentage of weight, and length gain showed a larger increase of Pb in T₃ and T₄ than in the control and T₂. After 28 days, the highest amount of muscular and hepatic Pb was recorded as 2.43 ± 0.01 mg/L and 7.79 ± 0.8 mg/L respectively in the control group (T₁); the lowest amount was recorded in T₄ as 0.46 ± 0.07 mg/L and 4.41 ± 0.58 mg/L respectively. Liver histopathology exhibited vacuolization, raptured hepatocytes, blood congestion, necrosis, and fat droplets accumulation in different intensities. The control group manifested severe pathology; the T₄ treatment exhibited comparatively low signs.

KEYWORDS:

• Freshwater mussel (Lamelliedens marginalis)
• growth performance
• lead (Pb) bioaccumulation
• liver histopathology
• stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis)

Ethics

The research has been duly permitted with all sorts of institutional, regional, and national animals ethic statements.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).