Cyprinus carpio (Common carp) and Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) are commercially and frequently exploited fishes from the Ganga river at Kanpur, India. Study was undertaken during the period 2012 to 2013 from the Ganga river. Rivers are heavily impacted due to their use for carrying off the industrial, municipal, agricultural and domestic effluents. Water samples were collected for the present study from the Ganga river at Kanpur. The minimum temperature was recorded in winter season and maximum in summer season. The pH, TDS, EC, phosphate, chloride, total hardness, nitrate, DO and all heavy metals (e.g. Cu, Cr, Cd, Zn, Pb, Hg) values exhibited their minimum in monsoon season. The sulphate and BOD were recorded minimum in winter season while alkalinity and COD had their lowest values in summer season. The water quality of the Kanpur station was very poor which is not suitable for Indian major carp (IMC). However, the Ganga river waters could host some tolerant fish species such as the exotic Cyprinus carpio and Oreochromis niloticus and also catfishes. All these species are very hardy, in respect of water quality (poor), thus they have strongly invaded in despoiled ecosystem of the river.