Physico-chemical Properties of Selected Fish Pond in Nigeria: Implications for Artificial Fish Culture.

Abstract

The need for baseline information on the suitability of fish pond environmental conditions for sustainable artificial fish culturing in Nigeria informed this study, on the physico-chemical properties of randomly selected typical fish ponds in the area. Methods: Series of water samples were collected from selected fish ponds at regular intervals, and subjected to physico-chemical analyses following recommended standard procedures. Results: The result indicated that certain parameters namely, Temperature, Turbidity, pH and Phosphates, varied within narrow limits among the 3 fish ponds investigated. However, Conductivity (range = 100.60 ± 32.01 to 338.00 ± 140.81 ), Alkalinity (132.40 ± 46.36 to 228.00 ± 28.88mg/l), Hardiness (39.60 ± 7.81 to 110.00 ± 16.25mg/l), Dissolved Oxygen (D.O.) (3.30 ± 0.77 to 6.66 ± 2.71mg/l), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (0.84 ± 0.38 to 3.72 ± 1.95mg/l) and Nitrate (1.21 ± 0.68 to 9.24 ± 2.55mg/l) differed significantly (P < 0.05) in the ponds; and such differences were attributed to the influence of edaphic factors in different ecological settings. While pond ‘A’ had the highest values of physico-chemical parameter (except DO, BOD and Nitrate), Pond ‘B’ had the least in most of the parameters thus, perhaps, making the two ponds the most and least ideal for fish rearing, respectively. Conclusion: The values of the physico-chemical parameters obtained in this study were mostly within the recommended range for good fish production. The finding of this study should, therefore, serve as impetus to further encourage artificial fish farming in Minna, Nigeria, as away of meeting the growing demands for animal protein in the area.