Oxygen uptake in relation to body weight in a Hillstream fish Glyptothorax telchitta (Ham.)

Abstract

Oxygen uptake (VO 2 ) through the gills of a hill-stream fish Glyptothorax telchitta from the Saptakoshi river (Nepal) has been studied in relation to different body weights. The oxygen uptake was determined at 24.0±1°C using a cylindrical glass respirometer with continuous water flow system. The aquatic oxygen uptake through the gills increased from 1.048 to 8.115 mlO 2 kg -1 .h -1 within the body weight range of 3.215 to 31.355 g. A fish of 17.052 g average body weight consumes 4.461 mlO 2 while the weight specific oxygen uptake was found to be 267.915 mlO 2 kg -1 .h -1 . The relation between oxygen uptake (VO 2 ) and body weight was determined by performing regression analysis using logarithmic transformation. It has been found that with a unit increase in body weight, the oxygen uptake per unit time (mlO 2 h -1 ) increases by a power of 0.930 showing significant positive correlation whereas, the weight specific oxygen uptake decreases by a power of 0.070 showing significant but negative correlation.

Diffusing capacity of gills of a hill-stream fish Glyptothorax telchitta (Hamilton-Buchnan) in relation to body weight

“…. min -'.mmHg -') ∆PO2 = difference of oxygen tension between water and blood (mmHg); t = thickness of water-blood pathway (μm) A = dimension of gill area (cm 2 ), taken from Subba (1999).…”