This study investigated the normal haematological and blood biochemistry profile of apparently healthy cultured hybrid catfish Heteroclarias reared in concrete ponds in South East Nigeria. A total of 20 fish of two age ranges and equal sexes were used, and determination of haematological and blood biochemistry profile followed standard procedures. Results obtained for the parameters assessed for the young adults and adults respectively are summarized as follows (mean±standard error): packed cell volume, 32.50±1.10 and 37.33±0.75 %; haemoglobin concentration, 11.81±0.45 and 13.00±0.21 g/dl; red blood cell count, 3.14±0.07×10 6 and 3.09±0.07×10 6 /μl; mean corpuscular volume, 103.44±3.13 and 122.82±3.97 fl; mean corpuscular haemoglobin, 37.65± 1.50 and 42.35±1.47 pg; mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, 37.11±1.12 and 33.97±0.47 g/dl; white blood cell count, 18.39±1.04×10 3 and 20.92±0.67×10 3 /μl; alanine amino transferase, 30.90±0.18 and 38.17±0.16 IU; aspartate amino transferase, 54.20±0.22 and 50.29±0.25 IU; alkaline phosphatase, 5.00±0.54 and 9.55±0.74 IU; total proteins, 2.20±0.07 and 4.05±0.10 g/dl; albumin, 0.96±0.03 and 1.38±0.04 g/dl; globulin, 1.22±0.07 and 2.70±0.10 g/dl; plasma blood glucose, 94.17±8.16 and 175.89±10.38 mg/dl; total cholesterol, 85.33±4.34 and 153.14±8.63 mg/dl; calcium, 4.80±0.48 and 11.64±0.41 mg/dl; blood urea nitrogen, 1.24±0.27 and 1.03±0.13 mg/dl; and body weight, 287.50± 8.18 and 711.11±36.11 g. Results obtained showed significantly higher (p<0.05) values in adults in all the parameters assessed except red blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, white blood cell count and blood urea nitrogen and significantly lower (p<0.05) aspartate aminotransferase activity. There were no significant changes (p>0.05) due to sex in all the haematological and blood biochemistry parameters assessed. Data generated from this study was considered important as deviations in the normal haematology and blood biochemistry values have a predictive value for general pathological and specific organ changes in the body.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.