Toxicologia Ambiental e Analítica

Piscicidal Effect of Moringa oleifera LAM., 1785 (Drustick) on Clarias gariepinus (African Catfish) Juvenile

Abstract

Adelakun KM, Ibrahim AO, Ogialekhe P, Oyelowo OJ and Okunloye AD

The work determines the different lethal concentration of Moringa oleifera bark extract as a piscicide. The sourced fishes (250) were acclimatized for 14 days. The test plant fresh bark was pounded into a macerated sample and soaked with distilled water for 48 hrs to simulate local procedures. Ten Clarias gariepinus juveniles were placed in each of the experimental aquaria and different test concentrations of 0 ml, 10 ml, 20 ml, 40 ml, 80 ml, 160 ml, 320 ml and 640 ml/l of water were used. The 48-hrs bioassay was conducted to determine sub-lethal concentration (LC50) for C. gariepinus juvenile to aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera bark. The 24-hrs and 48-hrs of LC50 of M. oleifera applied to C. gariepinus juvenile were 121.89 ml/l and 110.92 ml/l, respectively. Physical reactions exhibited by the fish including erratic movement, air gulping, loss of reflex, discolouration and molting. Mortality increased with increasing concentration of aqueous extract of M. oleifera bark and time of exposure in C. gariepinus juveniles. Moreover, the acute (LC100) effect that killed all the fish within 24-hrs was discovered to be the highest concentration of 640 ml/l. This findings provide evidence of Moringa oleifera as botanical piscicide for partial fish harvesting.