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¹ Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, University of Nigeria
² Federal University of Technology, Owerri
³ Gregory University Uturu, Okigwe, Abia State DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v17_1_08 Viewed : 4384 - Downloaded : 4396 The effects of short term exposure to cyperdicot on behavioural and haematological responses in 300 Clarias gariepinu swere investigated. The fish were randomly divided into three groups of 30 fish. Fish in first treatment group were exposed to tap water and served as control, while those in second and third groups were treated with 0.04 and 0.08 mg l-¹ of Cyperdicot, respectively. The 24, 48, 72 and 96 h LC₅₀ values were1.462, 1.094, 1.030 and 0.800 mg l-¹, respectively. The safe level for the insecticide varied from 8 x 10^-3 to 8 x 10^-4mg l-¹. Fish exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of insecticide exhibited alterations in various blood parameters including significant reductions in RBC count, Hb and PCV. A cyperdicot– induced dose- and time-dependent significant increase in W B C count from day 10 onward was observed, while values of blood indices such as MCV, MCH and MCHC in treated fish were not significantly different from those of the control group (P>0.05). This study revealed that the short term exposure to cyperdicot on behavioural and haematological responses in Clarias gariepinus elicited reduction of RBC, Hb and PCV values while MCV and MCH caused both macrocytic and microcytic anemia in the fish. Keywords : Cyperdicot, Clariasgariepinus, haematology, behaviour parameters