ACUTE TOXICITY AND BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSE OF THE FOOD FISH CHANNA PUNCTATUS (BLOCH) TO AN INSECTICIDE TRICHLORFONPrachi Chandrakar, Pooja Yadav, Kuleshwar Sahu, Tamardhwaj Deshmukh,Alka Mishra and Lata MeshramAbstract Trichlorfon is an organophosphate to insecticide and highly toxic pollutant, when enters in aquatic bodies through the rain water, it adversely affects the fauna of aquatic ecosystems. The aim of the present study was to assess the acute toxicity of Trichlorfon on food fish Channa punctatus. The fish were exposed to different concentrations of Trichlorfon to determine LC50 values for 96 h and study their behavioural effects on fish population. After the study we found that the test fishes exhibited erratic swimming, decreased rate of opercular movement, copious mucous secretion, increased surfacing and inability to balance with increasing exposure time. |