Bacteriological and physicochemical analysis of waste water from fish ponds

Abstract

Rearing of fish especially catfish is very common in many communities in Nigeria and the wastewater from these fish ponds are often discharged into the surrounding drains. Assessment of the bacteriological and physicochemical characteristics of ten freshwater fish ponds stocked with African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) was conducted within Ilorin metropolis. The results of physicochemical properties of the water samples showed that the pH, total hardness, salinity, and suspended solid ranged from 6.77 – 8.43, 65 – 124 mg/l, 7.02 – 10.062 g/l, and 0.012 – 0.128g/100ml respectively. The bacterial count, total coliform, and faecal coliform count of the wastewater ranged from 4.0 x 10 3 – 6.7 x 10 5