Haematological and serum biochemical profile of the upside-down catfish, Synodontis membranacea Geoffroy Saint Hilaire from Jebba Lake, Nigeria

Haematological and serum biochemical studies of natural population of Synodontis membranacea from Jebba Lake, North Central Nigeria were investigated in order to establish their mean and reference values. Bi-monthly collection of 1,408 live fish samples was carried out between April 2002 and March 2004, using gill nets of various mesh sizes ranging from 5.08 to 10.16 cm. The mean baseline value established for species-specific haematological and serum biochemical parameters were red blood cell (RBC) 3.83}1.49~1012 l.1, haemoglobin (HB) 8.38}1.96 gdl.1, and packed cell volume (PCV) 25.65}5.89%; mean cell volume 78.25}37.90 fl; mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) 33.04}12.50 pg; mean cell haemoglobin concentration 26.53}15.18 gdl.1; white blood cell (WBC) 315.65} 95.37~10.9; agranulocytes (Agr) 82.07}11.38%; monocytes (Mon) 6.37}3.01%; lymphocytes (Lym) 76.49}10.81%; granulocytes (Gran) 40.28}17.48%; neutrophils (Neut) 24.42}10.68%; eosinophils (Eos) 16.14}8.25%; basophils 0.09}0.04%; protein 40.19}7.45 gl.1; albumin 19.78} 5.67 gl.1; creatinine 49.71}16.15 ƒÊmol l.1; urea 3.05} 0.67 nmol l.1; uric acid 0.76}0.33 nmol l.1; glucose 4.24}1.74 mmol l.1; cholesterol 8.46}2.27 mmol l.1; calcium 2.35}0.94 mmol l.1; potassium 13.36} 4.45 mmol l.1; sodium 139.39}23.19 mmol l.1; alanine aminotransferase (ALT) 11.79}2.67 Ul.1; aspartate aminotransferase 16.80}4.73 Ul.1; and alkaline phosphatase 63.01}20.44 Ul.1. Only three of these parameters (i.e. neutrophil, glucose and potassium) differed significantly (P> 0.05) on gender basis. Pearsonfs correlation coefficients indicated significant relationship of standard length and total weight with RBC, PCV, HB, WBC, Agr, Mon, Lym, Gran, Neut, Eos, sodium, and ALT only. The study has provided baseline haematological and biochemical data for use in health monitoring and productivity of S. membranacea, which would be of great value for future comparative surveys in this era of increased fish culture in Nigeria.