Water quality as a parameter of sanity of the hybrid Tambacu (Colossoma macropomum × Piaractus mesopotamicus) from the west of the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Resumo

Poor microbiological quality of pond water may interfere with the microbiological quality of fish and their by-products. This paper evaluates water quality as a parameter of sanity of the hybrid tambacu (Colossoma macropomum × Piaractus mesopotamicus) from the West of the Maranhão state (MA), Brazil. Specimens of tambacu were captured in excavated ponds in the municipality of Governador Edison Lobão, Western Region of Maranhão state, and microbiological analyses of the water, feed, and fillet were carried out, as well as parasitological analyses of the gills and intestines. The analyses found parasites in the gills and the intestines and showed microbiological contamination in the pond waters, fish food, fish fillets, and fish gills over the limit legally allowed. The conclusion is that fishpond water quality influences the microbiological quality of the fish. Therefore, the fish produced in the Western Region of Maranhão need inspection and monitoring to be considered safe for human consumption.