Evaluation of Water Quality in Fish Farms & its Effect on Performance

A field study was carried out in four fish farms in different localities in Egypt to investigate the water quality of fish farms with different water sources (fresh brackish agriculture and ground water) and its effect on fish performance ( growth & survival rate ) beside parasite infestation of cultured fish . Results revealed that although the average values of physio-chemical and bacteriological parameters were within the acceptable limits at water inlets in examined farms; a great variation were recorded among both Farms and ponds within the same farms as water in ponds of farm (IV) showed a significant increase in the measurable parameters P <0.05 with a significant decrease in dissolved oxygen followed by pond 2 in farms (III) and (I) respectively (3.6±0.7 4.9± 0.61 and 6.5±0.31 mg/l). Meanwhile farm (II) showed a significant decrease P <0.01compared with other examined farms. Faecal coliforms were isolated from water ponds and fish in farms I III and IV (1.0±0.12 5.02±0.5 14.0±3.6 and 23.0± 4.3/ 100ml) & (0.4±1.5 1.6±1.5 4.0 ±1.0 10.8±1.2 10.6±3.0 and 12.0±3.2 respectively).