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Toxic effects of zinc on fathead minnows Pimephales promelas in soft water
Author(s) -
Benoit D. A.,
Holcombe G. W.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1978.tb03484.x
Subject(s) - pimephales promelas , biology , minnow , zinc , hatching , larva , cyprinidae , soft water , toxicity , zoology , zinc toxicity , toxicology , moulting , ecotoxicology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , ecology , medicine , chemistry , organic chemistry
A fathead minnow life‐cycle exposure to various zinc concentrations demonstrated that the most sensitive indicators of zinc toxicity were egg adhesiveness and fragility, which were significantly affected at 145 μg Zn 1 −1 and above, but were not affected at 78 μg Zn 1 −1 and below. These effects occurred shortly after the eggs were spawned (during water hardening) and therefore were not related to effects on the parental fish. Hatchability and survival of larvae were significantly reduced, and deformities at hatching were significantly increased at 295 ug Zn 1 −1 and above. Acclimated and unacclimated groups of larvae exposed to identical zinc concentrations for 8 weeks after hatch showed only slight differences in sensitivity.