Effects of climatic and water quality changes on growth and reproduction of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus in traditional pond culture systems

Climate change significantly influences fish growth and reproduction. This study assessed the effects of climatic variabilityspecifically changes in air temperature, humidity, rainfall, and solar intensityand associated water quality parameters on the growth and reproductive performance of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus cultured in traditional pond systems in Bangladesh.. Over a 12-month period, key climatic factors (air temperature, humidity, rainfall, solar intensity) and water quality parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, ammonia) were monitored alongside fish growth, gonadosomatic index (GSI), and gonadal histology. Multivariate statistical techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA), were applied to explore the interrelationships among environmental variables and biological responses. The results revealed that both climatic and water quality fluctuations significantly influenced growth trends and reproductive indicators. The highest length gain (3.11 cm) and weight gain (89.13 g) were recorded in May 2022, while GSI values showed seasonally fluctuating patterns, peaking at 3.99 ± 0.61 in males. Histological analysis confirmed early-stage gonadal development, indicating climate-linked reproductive activation. PCA explained over 90 % of the total variance, highlighting the strong associations among climate, water quality, growth, and reproduction. These findings emphasize for future adaptive management strategies for sustainable P. hypophthalmus aquaculture production under changing climatic conditions.