The Animal Biology

WATER QUALITY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE CULTURE OF TROPICAL EDIBLE FROG (HOPLOBATRACHUS OCCIPITALIS) FROM TADPOLE STAGE TO FULL METAMORPHOSIS

M. K. Mustapha

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Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin,
University Road, Ilorin, 240003, Nigeria

Good water quality is necessary for artificial cultivation of frogs. There has not been a recommended value for water quality in frog culture.

This study was undertaken to determine the ranges of some water quality parameters for the culture of Hoplobatrachus occipitalis from tadpole stage to full metamorphosis. 180 tadpoles were distributed into 3 tanks each filled with 60 litre water and renewed through a flow-through system. Water quality parameters were measured for 16 weeks during which the tadpoles fully metamorphosed with only about 10 % mortality. Results showed temperature ranged between 24.1 and 27.2 °C, pH 6.8–7.2. Conductivity varied between 240 and 280 µS/cm, Total Dissolved Solids 161–188 mg/l, Alkalinity 225–200 mg/l, Calcium, Magnesium and Total Hardness were in the ranges of 80–100 mg/l, 40–60 mg/l and 120–160 mg/l, respectively. Phosphate and Nitrate varied between 0.3–0.8 and 0.8–1.3 mg/l, respectively. Dissolved oxygen was between 6.2 and 6.9 mg/l, while Ammonia ranged between 0.10 mg/l and 0.22 mg/l. These ranges were good water quality values for the rearing of the species, because of the full metamorphosis of the frog and the low (10 %) mortality rate recorded in 16 weeks. The flow through system which allowed frequent change of water and the ground (borehole) water used for culture helped in achieving the good water quality in the tanks.

Keywords: EDIBLE FROGS, WATER QUALITY, TADPOLES, METAMORPHOSIS, CULTURE, FLOW-THROUGH, GROUND WATER

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