SALINITY TOLERANCE OF SOME KALIMANTAN LOCAL FISH SPECIES; CLIMBING PERCH Anabas testudineus, SNAKEHEAD Channa striata AND KELABAU Osteochilus melanopleurus

Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus), snakehead (Channa striata) and kelabau (Osteochilus melanopleurus) are local fishes of Kalimantan and its culture technology have been adopted well by fish farmer. These species have good economical value and its commonly cultured in freshwater condition. Mandiangin Freaswater Aquaculture Development Center South Kalimantan have conducted the experiment to evaluate salinity tolerance of these 3 local species (climbing perch, snakehead and kelabau) that aimed to study its possibility to be cultured in brackish water condition. Salinity tolerance study of climbing perch and snakehead conducted in laboratory using addition of NaCl to freshwater to reach salinity of 5 ^o/_oo, 10 ^o/_oo, and 15 ^o/_oo, and all of these treatments replicated by 3 times, while the treatment to study salinity tolerance of kelabau are salinity of 5 ^o/_oo, 9 ^o/_oo, and 12 ^o/_oo also replicated by 3 times. Weight size of climbing perch used in this study was 0,319 ± 0,123 gram, snakehead weight size was 0,269 ± 0,202 gram and kelabau weight size was 0,068 ± 0,027 gram. Salinity tolerance was determined based on LC₅₀ (Lethal Concentration 50) value, that was the salinity value where 50 % fish was die. LC₅₀ value was determined from regression calculation. The result showed that climbing perch have the biggest LC₅₀ value (more than 15 ^o/_oo), snakehead have 6,4 ^o/_oo LC₅₀ value and kelabau have 13,6 ^o/_oo LC₅₀ value. Based on this result, climbing perch have the biggest salinity tolerance and snakehead have the smallest salinity tolerance. It could be concluded that climbing perch and kelabau are potential to be cultured in brackish water condition.