UTTAR PRADESH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY

As an agriculture has almost reached its saturation level, the contribution of fish in fighting hanger and nutritional security has come to be widely recognized as fish is a low cost and high-quality animal protein which can be consumed by all cadres of individuals regardless of their religious beliefs and nutritional preferences. However, it is now well known that fishes and the environment can potential pathogenic microbes including bacteria and fungi and hence the present study. During the pre- summer season 7 species of bacteria were isolated from the water and 6 species bacteria in the skin of Catla catla while the summer season recorded only 5 bacterial species in water and 4 in the skin of Catla catla. The post summer and rainy seasons recorded 6 and 9 bacterial species both in water, and the skin of Catla catla respectively. Regarding the fungal species the pre-summer and rainy season recorded 8 species in water while the summer seasons recorded 6 species and the post summer season recorded only 5 species in water. The skin of Catla catla recorded 6 fungal species during pre-summer and rainy season whereas only 5 species were recorded in post-summer and 4 species in summer season in the skin of Catla catla. All the species recorded in the skin of Catla catla were also found in water. The system and the skin of Catla catla recorded both beneficial and harmful microbes. The study clearly suggests the need for the constant monitoring of microbes so that the health of fishes can be maintain by the use of appropriate therapeutic measures as and when necessary.