THE ROLE OF OTOLITHS AND SCALES AS BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS: EVALUATING LIFE QUALITY OF FISH IN FRESHWATER ENVIRONMENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31258/ajoas.9.2.286-296Keywords:
abnormalities, anthropogenic activities, aquatic environment, bioindicator, run offAbstract
Fish quality of life is influenced by where they live. Changes in aquatic environment quality due to human activities have become a global problem. These changes, or runoff into the water, affect fish scales, including lepidont scales. In addition to scales, otoliths can also predict water quality. Helostoma temminckii lives in Sepuncung Lake. To understand the microstructural characteristics of scales and otoliths from freshwater and marine environments, identify the correlation between aquatic environment and fish quality of life, and develop a model to predict fish quality of life as a bioindicator of aquatic environment reflected in otolith and scale (lepidont) condition. We captured fish using bamboo traps and fish nets. Scales were taken between the dorsal fin and lateral line; the anterior end was cut, cleaned, stained using keratin dye, and observed using a microscope with 1000x magnification. Otoliths were collected and shaved with an otolith shaver and observed under a microscope. Results show that H. temminckii has a dense dark ring around the focus; farther from the focus is a light ring, and there were light lepidont abnormalities in every part of the scales. This means the fish experiences stress only during the early stages of life. As they grew, they found an environment with less stress or disturbance. Scales (lepidont) can be used as a parameter to assess fish life quality and aquatic environmental conditions without sacrificing the fish.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Alfred Nobel Pardede, Windarti Windarti, Muhammad Fauzi (Author)
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