Effect of Phthalates from Plastic Culture Materials on the Growth and Survival of African Catfish

Background and Objective: The study was carried out in the hatchery section of Fisheries and Aquaculture Department of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam.The aim of the study is to determine the effect of phthalates that leach from plastic culture tanks like plastic basins and tarpaulin tanks on the growth and survival of African catfish.Materials and Methods: Randomized Complete Block Design was used and the three treatments were replicated three times.The fish were fed on a 5% body weight ration level, twice a day.Results: The phthalates leached from these plastic materials into the water and also get into the fish they did not affect the growth of the fish and their survival.The mean percentage weight gain recorded for the three treatments (concrete tank, plastic basin and tarpaulin tank) was 664±3.05,658±18.26and 653±16.70,respectively and the significance test (0.798) p>0.05 indicating no significant difference suggesting that phthalates that leached from the plastic tanks are not enough to be growth inhibitors.The same trend was same when the specific growth rate, food conversion ratio and protein efficiency ratio were calculated.All of them resulted in no significant difference.Also, the rate of mortality was nearly the same for all the treatments with no significant difference suggesting that the low levels of phthalates that leached from the plastic culture materials were not enough to affect the survival of the fish negatively.Conclusion: The concentrations of phthalates that leach from plastic culture tanks do not affect the growth and survival of the African catfish.