The susceptibility of early developmental phases of an acid-tolerant and acid-sensitive fish species to acidity and aluminum

Abstract

The mortality of roach (Rutilus rutilus) embryos increased during the early embryonic phase following exposure to Al and acidity from pH 6.7 to 5.0. No roach hatched at pHo5.00 or at pH 5.00 in the presence of Al. By contrast, increased embryonic mortality in pike (Esox lucius) occurred mainly during and after the normal hatching period due to the acidity-dependent prolongation and inhibition of hatching at pH 4.00. Newly hatched fry of both species were more sensitive to Al than the embryos. A reduction in the development of yolk-sac fry occurred in pike at pH 4.00 and in roach at pH 5.00, and in the presence of Al at pHp5.00 and pHp5.75, respectively. Thus, the most susceptible early developmental phase to acidity differed between the acid-sensitive roach and the acid-tolerant pike, although the newly hatched fry was the developmental phase most sensitive to Al for both species.