Effect of water turbidity on the pigmentation of some ornamental freshwater fishes

Pigmentation changes in two freshwater ornamental fishes like Polyacanthus fasciatus and Puntius sophore has been studied in different turbid water conditions such as 300-350NTU, 80-100NTU and 4.5-9.75NTU. Total concentration of carotenoids and retinoids from the lipid extracts of scales and liver of both the fishes were measured in HPLC at 450 nm for carotenoids, at 352nm for dehydroretinol and at 326 nm for retinol. It is seen that retinol, dehydroretinol and carotenoid concentration are decreased to a considerable amount in fishes subjected from the high turbid water condition.