Assessment of bacterial loads and water quality parameters of three different types of fish pond

The present study was conducted to determine bacterial loads in the water columns and mud of three different pond systems,includingan overwintering fish fry pond,a brood fish rearing pond, anda recreational fish pond (L-shaped fish pond) situated at the Field Laboratory Complex of the Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh.Three samplings were done atevery 15-day interval. Bacterial loads in water columns and mud were determined using the drop count method. Water quality parameters, including temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, and ammonia, were also determined. Significantly (p<.001),the highest bacterial loads in three different water columns were observed in the overwintering fish fry pond, and the lowest bacterial loadswere found in the L-shaped fish pondat all sampling points. Bacterial loads in the bottom water were also significantly higher than those in the surface and middle layers of the water in all ponds. Pond mud was significantly (p<.001) richer in bacterial loads than pond water. Bacterial load was strongly correlated with temperature, and the correlation faded with the increase in depth of the water column.