The Effect of Water pH on Ventilation Frequency and Oxygen Consumption in Mullet (Mugil cephalus)

Estuarine and coastal marine environments in particular are affected by a wide range of pollutants owing to increased anthropogenic activity from a burgeoning population in the coastal zone. The marine environment has long served as major repositories for disposal of industrial and municipal wastes, sewages, sluges, and dredged material. Ventilation frequency of control fish did not show significant (at 5 % significance level and pless than0.001) variation throughout the period of study. Mugil cephalus exposed to pH4 survived only for six days of the ten days period of study, whereas the fish exposed to pH5 and pH6 survived till the end of the period of study. Increased ventilation frequency was observed in all the treatments immediately after the fish were exposed to low pH.