Acute toxicity of the root extract of Jimson's weed (<i>Datura Innoxia</i>) to the African catfish (<i>Clarias gariepinus</i>) fingerlings

Abstract

Datura innoxia root extract was exposed to fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus (mean weight: 10.20 + 0.38 g) for 96 hours under laboratory conditions using static bioassays with continuous aeration to determine its acute toxicity. The LC50 of the exposed fingerlings was found to be 204.17 mg/L with lower and upper confidence limits being 125.89 and 384.59 mg/L respectively. The fish exhibited loss of balance, respiratory distress and swam erratically just before death.


Key words: Catfish, Clarias gariepinus, Datura innoxia, Datura innoxia, toxicity.


Journal of Aquatic Sciences Vol.17(2) 2002:131-133