Abstract

The present study deals with the haematological alterations caused by mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) in the African catfish Clarias gariepinus for a period of 60 days. The fishes were divided into two groups. Group first was kept as control and group second was exposed to 0.08 mg/l mercuric chloride. After 60 days of exposure the group 2^nd showed the value of red blood cells (RBCs) as 4.10, 3.51, 2.86, 1.48 and 0.82 x 10⁶ mm^-3, total white blood cells (WBCs) showed mean values as 7.80, 10.34, 11.86, 13.08 and 14.78 x 10⁶ mm^-3 and the estimation of haemoglobin (Hb) showed mean values as 12.36, 10.86, 9.04, 7.76 and 6.42 g/dl for 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days, respectively. The fishes exposed to mercuric chloride showed drastic deviation from the normal haematolological parameters of the fish.