Piscicides in Tropical Freshwater Aquaculture – an Overview
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Indian J. Anim. Hlth. (2017), 56(1) : 11-30 Review Article PISCICIDES IN TROPICAL FRESHWATER AQUACULTURE – AN OVERVIEW S. K. DAS*, C. SARKHEL1, A. MANDAL2 AND R. DINDA Department of Aquaculture Faculty of Fishery Sciences West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences Chakgaria, Kolkata 700 094 Application of piscicides of varying nature and compositions are widespread as part of the prestocking management of nursery ponds in tropical carp culture practices. The effectiveness, economic aspect as well as environmental consequences are widely discussed. Chemical piscicides though are very fast effective; there is an inherent risk of residual and colateral impact upon the nutrient dynamics of the pond ecology. Application of dimethyl = 2 : 2 dichlorovenyl phosphate (DDVP) results in N limitation, whereas, application of urea [CO(NH2)2] in combination with bleaching powder [Ca(OCl)Cl] favours P limitation. Piscicides of plant origin are safe, economical, imparts short term negative impact upon the biogeochemical cycling microbs unlike that of chemical compounds. Herbal piscicides upon decomposition favours N : P ratio to be in the desirable range of 4 : 1- 8 : 1. Understanding on the subject is limited in term of pisicicidal impact upon the microbial as well as planktonic profile of the pond culture system Key words: Biogeochemical cycling, N: P ratio, Piscicides, Residual impact Efficient pond fish farming entails small, must be adopted to remove or control seasonal ponds preferable as they facilitate predatory and unwanted fishes (Jhingran, effective control of environmental 1991) for getting maximum survival rate conditions and also because of automatic and production in carp culture. Unwanted destruction of predatory and weed fishes or weed fish are smaller varieties of fishes by complete dewatering of the pond. In that occur either naturally or accidentally contrast, complete draining of deep introduced primarily along with the carp perennial water bodies are economically spawn into the fish ponds (Rath, 1993). The intensive, therefore, some particular steps negative impact of predatory and weed *Corresponding Author 1Department of Fisheries, Govt. of West Bengal, India 2Department of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana 141 004, India 12 Indian Journal of Animal Health, June, 2017 fishes in nursery has been discussed much Piscicide earlier by Alikunhi (1957); Ibrahim (1957) According to Jhingran (1991), a suitable and Choudhuri (1960). They not only piscicide is one which (i) effectively kills compete for food and dissolved oxygen but the target organisms at fairly low doses and also compete for space with the cultivable is not injurious to the people and cattle who variety of fishes (Chakroff, 1993 and Rath, may use the water, (ii) does not render the 1993). Weed fishes have high fecundity affected fish unsuitable for human and they ripen sexually very fast (Jhingran, consumption, (iii) gets quickly nullified in 1991). Tripathy and Sharaf (1974) listed water, (iv) leaves no cumulative adverse Puntius sophore followed by Chela effect in pond, (v) easily available and at laubuca, Amblypharyngodon mola and the same time economical. There are Rasbora daniconius as highly destructive several chemicals and herbal poisons which and observed that they took a heavier toll are used extensively as piscicides for of carp spawn within 24 hrs. than the frog eradication of predatory fishes. Piscicides lets, tadpoles or the aquatic insects. or piscicidess can be grouped as per their source of origin or of their chemical nature. Eradication of predatory and pest fishes Accordingly, they can be grouped as (i) In freshwater ponds, removal of predatory Plant derivatives and (ii) chemical fishes has become one of the most important compounds like (a) organophosphate prestocking management practices for scientific management of carp culture compounds and (b) chlorinated (Chatterjee and Ganguli, 1993). In earlier hydrocarbons (Jhingran, 1991; Rath, 1993 practices, eradication of unwanted fishes and Mahapatra and Thosar, 1999). was done mainly through hook and line Herbal piscicides with baits. However, the customary method of removing unwanted fishes from nursery There are quite good number of plant pond is by repeated drag netting (Jhingran, derivatives which could be used for fish 1991). Moreover, by using screening poisoning. Generally to avoid the hazardous devices at the inlet, the entry of weed and effects of chemicals some less toxic native predatory wild fishes can be reduced to a plant derivatives are now used in India as large extent (Lee, 1973 and Pillay, 1995). fish poisons (Chatterjee and Ganguli, Methods like dewatering and desilting of 1993). Plant-derived saponins have been ponds, repeated netting operations, hooks widely used in non-intensive aquaculture and lines with baits are found to be operations throughout Asia and Africa and incomplete and uneconomical (Rath, 1993). Therefore, limited poisoning of the pond are attractive for the control of aquatic pests with selective toxicants gradually became because of their low toxicity to mammals popular for the purpose. (Clearwater et al., 2008). However, the Piscicides in tropical freshwater aquaculture 13 most common herbal poison used in fish environmental side effects are insignificant. pond is rotenone inherent in derris (Derris However, such popular view is not elliptica) root powder. Rotenone is the supported by elaborate research works, main piscicide used internationally for primarily because such studies have eradicating and controlling pest fishes in primarily been concentrated mainly on freshwaters (Willis and Ling, 2000 and rotenone. Moreover, the target specificity Rowe, 2003). Chemical eradication using of majority of the plant derived piscicides rotenone has been used for fisheries are not rigid (Harborne, 1979 and Chandler management in Canada and the USA since and Marking, 1982). Even certain plant the 1930s (Finlayson et al., 2002), and also derived piscicides are far from safe to in Australia for about 45 years (Rayner and humans e.g. croton oil is one of the most Creese, 2006). The use of rotenone has been potent naturally occurring co-carcinogens very limited in New Zealand (Ling, 2003 to human beings. Besides it is the powerful and Rayner and Creese, 2006). Lake contact poison which causes ulceration of Parkinson was treated to eradicate all fishes, the skin, dermatitis and other potentially including grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon serious side effects (Seigler, 1979). idella) following their introduction to Likewise, rotenone derived from derris root remove nuisance water plants (Ling, 2003). powder is proved to be hazardous to A bait form of rotenone, developed in the workers as inhalation may result in USA (Prentox®), was used in Lake respiratory paralysis (FAO, 1997). Waingata to remove grass carp in 1999 Consequently, use of rotenone is strictly (Rowe, 1999). Other plant derivatives used controlled by many countries. Therefore, in fish ponds are tea seed cake, tobacco it is evident that the intensity of hazards waste and powdered croton (Croton associated with the plant derived piscicidess tiglium) seed etc. (Markling, 1992; is not critically reviewed because of the lack Chakroff, 1993 and Chiayvareesajja et al., of sufficient literatures. Doses of different 1997). piscicides prescribed by different authors showed in Table 1. The plant derived piscicides are environmentally benign compared to the Chemical piscicides chemical toxicants because they are The application of commercial pesticide biodegradable and act as manures in due formulations for the control of predatory course (Mahapatra and Thosar, 1999). fish is well documented (Jhingran, 1991) They are believed to be less hazardous to and is widespread throughout the tropics farmers and non-target species, do not result despite their obvious hazards to the user, in resistance problem, easily bio-degradable unpredictable biodegradability in the than the synthetic ones and also, the aquatic medium, persistence, and lack of 14 Indian Journal of Animal Health, June, 2017 target specificity. Their extreme potency Jhingran,1991). But such pesticides even at as fish poisons, easy availability and cost- very low concentration may exert crucial effectiveness has made them a popular effects on the endocrine system as well as choice (Perschbacher and Sarkar, 1989 and negative impact on the reproduction and the Table 1. Doses of different piscicides Author Dose Test organism Piscicide- Plant origin Bhatia (1970) 60 ppm All predatory and weed fishes Bhatia (1970) 200-250 ppm Mahua oil cake Banerjee (1991) Channa punctatus Nath (1983) 75 ppm Sarkhel (2002) 200 ppm Hall (1949) 0.5 ppm Mugil parsia, Channa punctata Derris root powder Das (1969) 11-39 ppm Shirgur (1972), 150 ppm All weed and predatory fishes Banerjee (1991) Jhingran (1991) 6-10 ppm Tang (1967) 12-15 ppm Snails and aquatic organisms Nicotiana tabecem Banerjee (1991) 100-200 ppm Pillay(1995) 216 kg/ha tea seed Clarias sp., Cyprinus carpio, Tea seed cake cake + 144 kg Gambusia sp., Oreochromis Chiayvareesajja et quicklime niloticus, Puntius gonionotus al. (1997) 25 ppm quicklime Banerjee (1991) 100-200 ppm - Tea seed powder - Banerjee (1991) 200 ppm - Barringtonia acutangula Jena (1979) 250 ppm - Tamarindus indica Banerjee (1991) (Seed husk) Banerjee (1991) 250 ppm Acacia moniliformes Chiayvareesajja et 25 ppm Clarias sp., Cyprinus carpio, Maesa ramentacea al., (1997) Gambusia sp.,