Feed Utilization and Growth in Juveniles of Labeo rohita Under the Stress of Monocrotophos

Abstract

The present study was aimed at evaluating the growth performance and feed utilization of Labeo rohita subjected to sub-lethal stress of the pesticide, monocrotophos for a period of 45 days in laboratory conditions. Juveniles of L. rohita were divided into control and test groups. Test groups of fish were divided into two batches, I and II. Batch-I was exposed to 0.7116 mg•L-1 monocrotophos and Batch II was exposed to 0.3558 mg•L-1 monocrotophos. Feed utilization and growth were inferior while feed conversion ratio was observed to be higher in fish exposed to the toxicant and it was dose dependent. The weight gain between the fish of control group and the fish exposed to monocrotophos differed significantly. Feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and protein productive values were significantly less in the test groups. Analysis for the proximate composition of the fish carcass reveals that protein, carbohydrate and lipid conversion efficiencies were less in the test group of fish and differed significantly from that of the control group of fish. This suggests that nutrients are often getting wasted when fish are under the sub-lethal stress of pesticides.