Some Physiological and Biochemical Studies on Marine Fishes Rearing in Suez Canal Fish Farms

The present work was done to elucidate the impact of water quality in private fish farm in Suez Canal area and agricultural drainage water supply source (sectors A and B), Samples of three different fish species: seabream (Sparus aurata), Seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), and Meagre (Argyrosomus regius) (sectors C, D and E), on the fish physiology, blood picture, biochemistry and accumulation of heavy metals in flesh and gills of the reared fishes. It was found that, water temperature in the different fish farm sectors around the year were significantly different, however, the pH was slightly basic. In spite of the water dissolved oxygen was around the suitable limits, its minimum value was recorded in the fish farm sector (C). Nonetheless, in this fish farm the maximum levels of salinity and total dissolved salts were recorded. Similarly, the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate concentrations were revealed in this fish farm. The relative dominance of heavy metals in the pond's water of the three investigated fish farm sectors all over the period of the study was Fe, Cu, Pb and Cd. However, heavy metals are highly accumulated in fish flesh of all fish farm sectors than in its water column. The muscle content of the detected heavy metals which accumulate in all examined fish species muscle and gills not exceeded the permitted value suggested by FAO/WHO. Metal pollution index realized its minimum levels in water and fish tissue. It is obvious that, the levels of all heavy metals detected in water samples and S. aurata, D. labrax and A. regius muscle tissues (the edible portion of fish) were under the notified permissible limits. Some of the measured parameters slightly exceeded the permissible limits recommended by regulatory agencies