Study of Euglenophytes Bloom and it's Impact on Fish Growth in Bangladesh

A study was carried out in nine fertilized fish ponds under three treatments (T-I, T-II and T-III) at Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh to see the bloom of euglenophytes with the intention of observing its impact on the growth of fish in culture condition. Some water quality parameters viz., temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, PO4-P and NO3-N concentration and some biological parameters viz., phytoplankton population and growth of fish were monitored at fixed intervals. Euglenophytes showed a heavy bloom in late August in the ponds of T-II. The bloom was occurred by the genera, Euglena, Phacus and Trachelomonas of which Euglena was the most dominant genus. In relation of water quality parameters with euglenophytes bloom, it was hypothesized that euglenophytes prefers higher temperature and acidic environment with higher nutrient concentrations. Acidic environment and nutrient enrichment enhanced the bloom of euglenophytes which hampered the growth of other beneficial algal groups (chlorophytes and bacillariophytes) and fish. Due to heavy bloom, the fishes breathed with difficulty at the surface. The fishes in the heavy bloom ponds presented the weight values were lower than verified for those in the ponds where the bloom did not occur. Total production (calculated) of fish in different treatments ranged from 1355.89 to1760.63 kg ha–1 with significantly (p < 0.05) lowest in the ponds of T-II.