Asian Research Journal of Current Science

Water is essential for life and sustainable livelihoods. This study explores water quality parameters and their effect on fish abundance and physiological in Govind Sagar Dam Lalitpur. Fish are considered as water quality indicators, especially due to their sensitivity to pollution. Changes in water quality significantly alter fish behavior, an important index of fish growth and health. Given the importance of this relationship to aquaculture practices, it is essential to understand how water quality dynamics affect fish behavior. Water quality parameters are critical determinants of fish performance, as they directly or indirectly influence feed utilisation. The health and productivity of fish are strongly affected by the physicochemical characteristics of the aquatic environment, including key parameters such as dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, ammonia, salinity, pH, and electrical conductivity (EC). In the present study, the recorded water quality parameters were within the following ranges: temperature 26.40–28.80 °C, pH 7.23–9.34, turbidity 5.3–10.6 NTU, electrical conductivity 134.17–216 µS cm⁻¹, and dissolved oxygen 6.1–6.9 mg L⁻¹. All measured physicochemical parameters remained within the acceptable limits for the survival and optimal growth of freshwater fish species. This study therefore seeks to examine the influence of water quality on fish production, with particular emphasis on the role of sustainable water management practices.