The toxic effects of 7 coastal cyanobacterial strains isolated from Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico were evaluated. Growth was determined by dry weight. Toxicity bioassays were done in Artemia sp., juvenile white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei and mice Mus musculus (ICR strain). In shrimp, three feeding methods were implemented: cyanobacterial biomass plus commercial food, cyanobacteria only, and biomass at different concentrations (18, 9, 4.5 and 2.2% w/v). In Artemia sp., Limnothrix amphigranulata (LIMA-3 strain) caused 100% mortality, and in the other organisms mortality was less than 30%. In the treatment L. vannamei with the food mix, mortality was less than 40%, but there was weight gain (6.2% +/- 1.03). With the biomass concentration treatment, the highest and the least mortality were 66.7% with Limnothrix amphigranulata (LIMA-3) and 26.7% with L. majuscula-all groups lost weight (3-5%). The last experiment showed no mortality. Shrimps showed gill damage evidenced by color changes and filament accumulation. Mouse bioassays exhibited 100% mortality with LIMA-3 extracts at every concentration (LD(50) 150 mg kg(- 1), i.p. mouse). Necropsies showed hemorrhage and increases in liver weight, indicating hepatotoxin. LIMA-3 strain was considered a medium-toxicity cyanobacteria. Weight-loss in L. vannamei could indicate the presence of a toxin. Therefore, a critical examination of the toxicity role in overall cyanobacteria ecotoxicology is needed.