Effects of copper, cadmium, lead, and arsenic in a live diet on juvenile fish growth

Abstract

The effects of diet-borne copper, cadmium, lead, and arsenic on juvenile fish were evaluated using a live diet consisting of the oligochaete Lumbriculus variegatus . In 30 d exposures, no effects were observed on the growth and survival of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), fathead minnow ( Pimephales promelas ), and channel catfish ( Ictalurus punctatus ) fed diets contaminated with copper [130–310 µg Cu·(g dm)−1], cadmium [90–540 µg Cd·(g dm)−1], and lead [850–1000 µg Pb·(g dm)−1]. However, rainbow trout growth was reduced in a dose-dependent manner for diets contaminated with arsenic [26–77 µg As·(g dm)−1]. These effects of arsenic on fish growth were accompanied by slower feeding rate, reduced food conversion efficiency, liver cell abnormalities, and fecal matter changes suggestive of digestive effects, and occurred to a similar extent whether the diet was exposed to arsenate or arsenite. Effects from these dietary levels of arsenic, and the absence of effects from these dietary levels of metals, were generally consistent with literature reports using laboratory diets amended with toxicant salts. These results also indicated that reported growth effects on rainbow trout fed diets of invertebrates collected from mining-contaminated areas of the Clark Fork River (Montana, USA) or exposed in the laboratory to Clark Fork River sediments are likely more attributable to the arsenic than the metals in those diets.

Recovery of a mining-damaged stream ecosystem

“…Hydrospychid caddisflies were targeted for Cu because they have been recommended as an indicator taxa for interpreting metals in tissues of aquatic insects (Rainbow et al, 2012). Hydrospychid caddisflies and two stonefly taxa at different trophic levels were also targeted for As speciation analyses in 2012 because of reports linking dietary exposure of inorganic As to reduced growth of Rainbow Trout (Erickson et al, 2010).…”

“…Arsenic and Fe have been shown to be strongly correlated in Panther Creek sediments (r >0.9), suggesting sequestration in Fe oxyferrihydroxides in stream sediment (Mok and Wai, 1989;Mebane, 1994;Gray and Eppinger, 2012). Erickson et al (2010), noted that inorganic arsenic in the diet of trout at about 20 mg/kg dry weight (dw) or higher has been correlated with reduced growth, and in their feeding study with live invertebrate diets enriched with arsenic, 26 mg/kg dw or higher arsenic in the diet was directly demonstrated to impair growth in Rainbow Trout. Arsenic residues in Panther Creek invertebrate tissue were slightly above 20 mg/kg dw in some years, although the years with lower condition factors in fish did not match years with elevated arsenic in invertebrate tissues (Figures 2 and 10).…”

A novel variant of aquaporin 3 is expressed in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) intestine

“…Chronic exposure to arsenic leads to a number of diseases including cancer of the skin, bladder, kidney and liver; diabetes; cardiovascular and lung diseases (Abernathy et al, 2003; Hughes et al, 2011). In teleosts, exposure to sublethal concentrations of arsenic has been linked to reduced growth, attenuated stress response, and increased oxidative stress (Bears et al, 2006; Eisler, 1988; Erickson et al, 2010; Ventura-Lima et al, 2009). …”

Toxic effects of ammonia exposure on growth performance, hematological parameters, and plasma components in rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, during thermal stress

“…Erickson et al (2010) reported a significant reduction of growth performance of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, exposed to arsenic. In this study, the ammonia exposure caused a notable decrease in growth performance of S. schlegelii.…”