Inhibiting fungus on largemouth bass eggs with copper sulfate and its toxicity to fry and juveniles

This study determined the effectiveness of copper sulfate (CuSO₄) to inhibit fungal growth (caused by Saprolegnia spp.) on largemouth bass (LMB) eggs spawned on/in fiber mats in very high-alkalinity/-hardness waters; experiments also determined the toxicity of CuSO₄ to LMB fry and juveniles. An untreated control and three CuSO₄ concentrations (10, 20, and 40 mg/L) were tested under a flow-through scenario in the effectiveness experiment. Eggs were treated daily until hatching began. Fungal load at the time of hatch had a total area > 3.0 cm² in the untreated controls, total area 1.0 to <2.0 cm² in the 10 and 20 mg/L CuSO₄ treatments, and total area > 1.0 cm² in the 40 mg/L CuSO₄ treatments. Fungus samples were identified as Saprolegnia australis. The 24-hr median lethal concentration (LC50) values on the LMB yolk-sac and swim-up fry were 32.0 and 4.6 mg/L CuSO₄, respectively; the No Observed Effect Concentrations (NOEC) were 16.0 and 0.125 mg/L CuSO₄, respectively. Juvenile LMB were extremely tolerant to CuSO₄, and their 24-hr LC50 value was 185.5 mg/L; the NOEC was 64 mg/L. This study indicates that CuSO₄ can be an important resource for hatcheries to control egg fungus, especially in high-alkalinity/-hardness waters.     

5种药物对异育银鲫"中科3号"受精卵孵化的影响

在水温21~23℃,pH 6.2~6.5条件下,采用半静水试验法,按等对数间距设置药物质量浓度梯度,日换水50%,补充药物50%,24 h观察记录1次,比较美婷Ⅱ、霉灵、纳他霉素、杀毒矾和高锰酸钾5种药物对异育银鲫"中科3号"受精卵水霉抑制作用及孵化率的影响。试验结果显示,试验药物对受精卵水霉生长均有一定抑制作用,其抑霉率为美婷Ⅱ>霉灵>高锰酸钾、纳他霉素和杀毒矾,但杀毒矾对异育银鲫"中科3号"受精卵的毒副作用较大,显著降低了受精卵孵化率,不宜使用;美婷Ⅱ、霉灵、纳他霉素和高锰酸钾对异育银鲫"中科3号"受精卵的适宜使用质量浓度分别为4.90~6.50、1.97~3.87、1.50、2.50 mg/L,使用方法为长时间浸浴,可有效抑制受精卵孵化过程中水霉的生长,显著提高受精卵孵化率,适合在异育银鲫"中科3号"受精卵孵化过程中使用。     

A behavioural sensor for fish stress

Due to water turbidity, fish stress might be difficult to observe. Evaluation of fish stress by blood sampling requires removing a fish from the water, which is in itself a stressful event. Therefore, we designed and built a sensor to detect fish behaviour that reflects stress. The electronic sensor detected early signs of fish stress by scoring the fish's inactivity. LEDs and detectors are embedded on a steel wand that is held underwater by an operator. In this preliminary (feasibility) study, the new sensor was validated for Tilapia (Cichlidae) and Hybrid Striped Bass (Morone). We induced stressful situations in the fish tanks by manipulating oxygen and temperature levels.ResultsLowering the temperature and oxygen levels both significantly increased the average number of signals identified by the sensor, which indicate stress. The effect of reducing water temperature from 24 °C to 15 °C was three times stronger than was the effect of lowering the oxygen saturation level from 85% to 50%. The difference in the number of signals between the good and stressful conditions was statistically significant, amounting to approximately eight sensor signals, 10.57 compared to 2.49 respectively. Lowering the temperature increased the mean number of signals by 5.85 and 6.06 at 85% and 50% oxygen saturation respectively, whereas lowering oxygen levels increased the mean number of signals by 2.02 and 2.23 at 24 °C and 15 °C, respectively. The results indicate that the stress status of cultured fish can be evaluated using the proposed behavioural sensor. The new sensor may provide an earlier indication of a problem in a fish tank or pond than was heretofore possible. This early warning can enable the fish farmer to take action before many fish are harmed.     

Dietary fishmeal levels affect the volatile compounds in cooked muscle of farmed large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea

A comparative study on the volatile compounds in cooked muscle of wild and farmed large yellow croaker (LYC) was conducted. The two farmed LYC groups were fed with diets containing 44% (CF) and 25% (LF) of fish meal (FM) respectively. Results showed that 48 volatiles, including aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, hydrocarbons, aromatics, acids, esters, furans and miscellaneous compound, were detected in cooked fillets. The LF group had significantly lower amounts of total aldehydes and ketones, higher content of miscellaneous compound in cooked fillets than that in the CF and wild groups (p < .05). Compared with the wild group, the LF group had significantly lower amounts of total alcohols, acids and esters, while the CF group had significantly lower amounts of total aldehydes, higher content of total ketones in cooked muscle (p < .05). According to the principal component analysis (PCA), some volatiles (propanal, nonanal, etc.) could be considered as sensitive indicators to classify cooked muscle samples. In conclusion, differences in the volatiles in the cooked muscle between the wild and farmed LYC have been found. Low level of dietary FM (25%) changed the volatile profiles in cooked fillets of farmed LYC. A PCA may be useful to screen potential volatiles to classify cooked muscle samples in this study.     

Open-design Recirculating Systems for Zebrafish Culture

The zebrafish is an established vertebrate-animal model in biomedical research. Currently, their mass culture is mainly done using systems provided by commercial suppliers. Commercial systems are compact, recirculating, and use auto-cleaning tanks. These features minimize space use, labour cost, and water wastage; thus, facilitating maintenance of a large number of zebrafish using minimal resources. However, the often considered costs associated with these systems often impose a barrier to current and prospective researchers, especially those with limited funds or working in labs with no access to institutional centralized zebrafish culture facilities. In contrast to commercial systems, custom-made zebrafish maintenance systems are also described in the literature. To distinguish custom-made system from commercial systems, we termed them as “open-design” systems. Open-design systems are cost-effective, modular, and frequently being improved by zebrafish researchers. However, for further development and to present them as a viable option for zebrafish researchers around the world, a review of their current status and technical understanding is required. Here, we compile the disparate data on the purpose and technological development of the open-design systems. We believe this review will be a valuable resource for all zebrafish users and help streamline the open-design technology for zebrafish culture.     

Experimental investigation on the transport of different fish species in a jet fish pump

A jet fish pump with a throat of ø60 mm was designed to study its performance in the transport of different fish species and the physiological changes in fish thereafter. Experiments were conducted to investigate the fish transport rate and energy required to transport each ton of fish when transporting Carassius auratus, commonly known as the Chinese goldfish, Megalobrama amblycephala, or Wuchang bream, and Ctenopharyngodon idella, the grass carp. Fish were examined for external injuries as well as for several important enzymes and hormones which are indicators of tissue injury and stress. The results showed that the transport rate for all three species of fish rose dramatically with an increase in the primary stream rate. In this experiment, the transport rates of C. auratus, M. amblycephala and C. idella reached 2357 ± 37.2 kg ∙ h⁻¹, 2888 ± 41.6 kg ∙ h⁻¹, and 2060 ± 40.2 kg ∙ h⁻¹, respectively. However, both injury rate and energy required to transport each ton of fish increased no matter whether the primary stream rate was too low or too high. Considering both transport rate and injury rate, the mean primary stream rate of 80 m³ ∙ h⁻¹ was determined to be the optimal operating condition in this experiment. Fish were stressed and most likely some of their organs were damaged. However, most physiological indexes almost fully recovered after several hours.     

Effects of egg stocking density on egg hatchability,larval quality and water quality for pinfish,Lagodon rhomboides,and pigfish,Orthopristis chrysoptera

Pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides Linnaeus) and pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera L.) are relatively new, cultured species commonly used as marine baitfish in the south‐eastern United States and currently have no defined protocols for egg incubation. Thus, experiments were conducted to determine efficient egg stocking densities during static and flow‐through incubation that yielded higher quality larvae. Eggs of each species were incubated statically at 250, 500, 1000 and 2000 eggs L^?1, and after incubation, egg hatching success, larval survival to first feeding, larval morphometrics and water quality were assessed. Stocking densities above 250 eggs L^?1 led to significant reductions in pinfish hatching success and water quality degradation, evident from decreased dissolved oxygen and pH levels and increased nitrogenous wastes. Increased stocking densities for pigfish also resulted in significant water quality degradation, although hatching success was unaffected up to a density of 1000 eggs L^?1. A high flow‐through water exchange rate of 2000% daily resulted in significant reductions in nitrogenous wastes and greater stability in dissolved oxygen and pH levels during incubation when compared to static treatments of the same egg density. Additionally, the high exchange rate of 2000% was critical in maintaining high hatching success and larval survival to first feeding at stocking densities of 1000 eggs L^?1 for pinfish and up to 4000 eggs L^?1 for pigfish. No clear patterns in larval morphometrics were observed among stocking densities. Static incubation densities of 250 and 1000 eggs L^?1 are recommended for pinfish and pigfish, respectively.