Effects of greenhouse in enhancing water quality parameters for warm water fish production in the high-altitude environments of the western Highlands of Cameroon

Claris gariepinus, a warm water fish exhibits limited tolerance with variations in physicochemical parameters of the environment. In other to optimize water parameters for fish farming, greenhouse was used. Six experimental tanks (three inside a greenhouse and three outside) were supplied with from nearby stream. The physicochemical parameters were measured using the standards methods. Results demonstrated that greenhouse maintained a mean daily water temperature of 25.98 °C (against 23.37 °C externally) and ambient temperature differences of 2-10 °C. Principal Component Analysis and linear regression indicated direct influence of greenhouse temperature on water temperature, subsequently affecting dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, turbidity, and nutrients concentrations. These findings underscore the greenhouse’s ability to mitigate environmental fluctuations, enhancing water quality stability for aquaculture in high-altitude regions. This study recommends adopting greenhouse technology to support thermally sensitive fish species in such areas, offering practical solution to climatic constraints.