COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION CULTURED AND WILD GOLDEN MAHSEER (TOR PUTITORA)

Abstract

The present study compared the haematological characteristics and proximate composition of cultured and wild Tor putitora and examined the effect of captive rearing on the physiological and nutritional status of this threatened species. Five cultured fish were collected from Garyala Mahseer Hatchery, Attock, whereas four wild fish were collected from the Indus River near Attock, Pakistan. Standard fish haematological procedures were employed for the determination of the haematological parameters and standard AOAC official methods were used for the analysis of the proximate composition. The cultured fish had significantly higher (P<0.05) red blood cell count, mean corpuscular haemoglobin and mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration than the wild fish. Although haemoglobin concentration and packed cell volume were higher in culture fish, these differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05), supporting the increased erythropoietic activity and oxygen-carrying capacity of fish under captive conditions. However, the platelet count was significantly higher in the wild fish while the total white blood cells count and the differential leucocyte count did not differ significantly between the two groups. The crude protein content was significantly higher in cultured fish whereas crude fat was significantly higher in wild fish (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the moisture and ash content. The observed differences were probably associated with variations in feeding regime, environmental conditions and energy allocation between cultured and wild populations. The results provide baseline information on haematological and nutritional parameters for Tor putitora, and could be useful for conservation planning, management of hatcheries, stock enhancement and sustainable aquaculture of this threatened species.