The Effects of On-Board Handling and Frozen Storage on Gaping in Hoki (Macruronus novaezelandiae)

Abstract

Hoki were trawl-caughl under commercial conditions and subjected to one of five treatments before heading and gutting and freezing to ?35°C. Fish were either processed within 1 hour of capture, held at ambient temperatures or in ice until rigor was established or held at ambient temperatures or in ice until rigor was resolved. Fish from each treatment were then stored at ?20°C for periods of up to 56 weeks and tested for gaping, pH and other related physical and sensory properties. Fish frozen post-rigor showed the most gaping and fish frozen pre-rigor had less than those frozen in rigor. The temperature of storage before freezing had little effect on gaping other than extending the time taken to proceed through rigor. Extended time in frozen storage resulted in decreased water-holding capacity but had little effect on gaping. Gaping was not related to pH levels and did not affect the texfural properties of the cooked fish.     

Induced Maturation and Spawning of the Chinese Catfish Clarias fuscus

Chinese catfish ( Clarias fuscus ) were successfully spawned in Hawaii using human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) at dosage rates of two and four international units (IU) per gram body weight. Fish not injected with HCG did not produce viable eggs. Successful spawns with HCG occurred between May and October. Hatch rates of up to 80% were obtained during June, July, and August for those fish given either a 2 or 4 IU per gram body weight injection of HCG. Fish spawned in either May or October yielded significantly higher hatch rates when injected with 4 rather than 2 IU per gram body weight. Fish held at elevated temperatures (28 to 30 C) prior to the normal spawning season developed significantly larger oocyte diameters, 60 days earlier than fish held under ambient temperature conditions (21.5 to 24 C). Photoperiod manipulation at ambient temperature conditions was associated with earlier oocyte maturation, but photoperiod effects were much less important than temperature.     

Feed intake of Atlantic salmon parr Salmo salar L. in relation to temperature and feed composition

The design and testing of a feed intake monitoring system based on feed waste collection is described. The system was used in a study of feed intake and growth of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. parr in relation to temperature (2 °C or 8 °C) and feed composition (21% fat, 50% protein and 22.5 MJ kg^?1 or 34% fat, 40% protein and 24.8 MJ kg^?1). Fish had lower feed intake and slower growth at the lower temperature, but temperature‐corrected growth (TGC) was better in fish held at the lower temperature. There was an increase in TGC over time at low temperature, probably as a result of long‐term thermal acclimation. Feed conversion for an increase in body size from 19 to 38 g was better for the fish held at low temperature. Feed consumption of low‐fat feed was higher than that of high‐fat feed, and growth of the fish fed the low‐fat feed was better at the higher temperature. These data are consistent with the ideas that the fish compensated for differences in feed energy densities to maintain energy and nutrient intakes, and that lipostatic factors may be operating to regulate feed intake and growth.     

Effect of temperature on growth performance of greater amberjack (SERIOLA DUMERILI Risso 1810) Juveniles

In order to successfully diversify Mediterranean aquaculture, it is necessary to determine optimum culture conditions of potential candidate species such as greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili). Among culture conditions, rearing temperature is a key factor for achieving optimum growth and maintaining fish welfare. However, little is known about the optimum culture conditions of greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili). Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of three different rearing temperatures (17, 22 and 26°C) during 120 days on growth performance, body morphometry, biochemical composition, gut transit and liver morphology of greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili) juveniles. After 120 days of rearing, fish raised at 26°C showed higher (p < .05) body weight and specific growth rate than fish held at lower temperatures, as well as improved feed utilization, protein efficiency and nutrient retention percentages. Fish stomach emptying was faster (p < .05) in fish raised at 26°C than in fish held at 22°C and 17°C. Similar results were obtained for gut transit time, being gut emptying faster (p < .05) in fish reared at 26°C than in fish cultured at lower temperatures. Rearing temperature also induced changes in fish morphology which resulted in a higher (p < .05) caudal propulsion efficiency index for fish reared at 26°C. Based on these results, we conclude that greater amberjack fingerlings perform better at 26°C than at 22°C or 17°C.     

The Validation of Effect of Neutraceuticals on Growth and Immune Response of Nile Tilapia in Cool Water Using a Cluster-Based Approach

This interdisciplinary study investigated computational analytic methods used for biological hypothesis testing and applied the methods for the validation of the effects of nutraceuticals on growth and immune response of Nile tilapia in cool water. Farmers in cooler regions face problems with cultivating tilapia, one of the most popular cultivated fish species, due to poor survival rates at suboptimal temperatures. We hypothesized that two nutraceuticals, phosphatidylcholine and β-carotene, help tilapia adapt to cooler water temperatures and benefit tilapia's growth and immune response. Fish were reared in two different environments: warm water (28°C) and cool water (16°C). Fish reared in warm water (control) were provided with a basal commercial diet, while fish reared in cool water were provided with either the basal commercial diet (cool water control) or diets supplemented with nutraceuticals (either phosphatidylcholine or β-carotene). Experiments were conducted over an eight-week period. The effects of the nutraceuticals were tested using an unsupervised learning technique in data mining and statistics called cluster analysis. An external index used for cluster validation was adopted for testing our hypothesis by formulating the level of agreement between two different partitions of samples: experimental groups and clusters based on the similarity of their features. Contrary to the findings of previous studies, which showed the beneficial effects of phosphatidylcholine and β-carotene supplementation in a range of fish including tilapias, our test results show no significant difference among the fish reared in cool water and fed with either the basal diet or diets supplemented with the nutraceutical. Despite slower growth compared with fish held in warm waters, our study suggests the feasibility of stocking or rearing tilapia in water temperatures as low as 16°C during cool weather, without need for supplementation to basal commercial feed.     

Growth,survival and feed efficiency for post-metamorphosed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) reared at different temperatures

Two growth trials were completed on post-metamorphosed Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) for a period of four weeks to determine the optimal temperature for best growth and feed efficiency. The same experiment was repeated twice under similar conditions to determine the effect of four temperature regimes (10, 12, 14 and 16 °C) on randomly selected juvenile cod with an initial weight ranging from 0.34 to 0.51 g. Post-metamorphosed cod grown at 14 and 16 °C were significantly larger at the end of the experiments than the fish grown at 10 or 12 °C, with specific growth rates following a similar trend (p < 0.05). Fish held at 16 °C utilized feed less efficiently than those held at the lower temperatures in experiment II and the highest feed efficiency was observed in fish held at 10 °C (p < 0.05). The results of the feed efficiency and the maximum growth per degree (dG / dT_max) in experiment II suggest that the feed efficiency was likely maximized at a lower temperature than those used in this study. By using data collected from sub-samples of fish in experiment II, maximum growth (G_max) was estimated at 14.5 °C using a growth temperature model. Cannibalism was a problem in the first experiment but was greatly reduced in experiment II by feeding a larger size feed pellet (2 mm).     

The Effect of Constant and Fluctuating Temperatures on the Confinement-induced Plasma Cortisol Stress Response in Channel Catfish lctalurus punctatus

Abstract.— Initial and confinement-induced changes of plasma cortisol were measured in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus acclimated to upper and lower constant temperatures for each season, a spring/fall diurnal pattern between 15 and 26 C, and a summer diurnal pattern between 24 and 35 C. In diurnal treatments, temperature changes were achieved in 10 h and held constant for 2 h before reversing the temperature. Fish held in the spring/fall pattern or at a constant temperature of 15 or 26 C revealed no plasma cortisol concentration differences due to acclimation temperature, but hormone concentrations in all groups increased by about 4.5 fold following a 2-h confinement. Fish held on a summer pattern had differences in both the initial cortisol samples and those measured after confinement. Acclimation to a constant 35 C resulted in significantly higher initial cortisol concentrations, but these levels did not increase following confinement. The inability of the fish held at 35 C to respond to the confinement was thought to be due to the constant thermal stress, resulting in an inadequate interrenal reserve. Physiological consequences due to the diurnal physiochemi-cal cycling in ponds needs further attention.     

Effect of Phosphatidylcholine and Beta-Carotene Supplementation on Growth and Immune Response of Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus,in Cool Water

The effects of nutraceuticals in improving growth and immune response of Nile tilapia in cool water were investigated. Fish were reared in two different environments: warm water (28°C) and cool water (16°C). Fish reared in warm water (control) were provided with a basal commercial diet, while fish reared in cool water were provided with either the basal commercial diet (cool water control) or diets supplemented with nutraceuticals (either phosphatidylcholine or β-carotene). Experiments were conducted over an 8-week period. Fish held in warm water had significantly higher growth (p < 0.05), but condition factor, blood hematocrit, plasma glucose, and phagocytic capacity of macrophage cells were similar to fish held in cool water. Within the cool water groups (basal vs. supplemented diet), fish did not show any significant difference in condition factor, blood hematocrit, and phagocytic capacity of macrophage cells. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in glucose levels until the eighth week. Collectively these data indicate that a nutraceutical supplementation to the basal diet was not significantly beneficial. Despite slower growth, fish reared in cool water remained generally healthy. The observation that phagocytic capacity of macrophage cells was not significantly different suggests that disease resistance of tilapia grown in cool water may be comparable to those reared in warm water. Thus, our experiments suggest the feasibility of stocking or rearing tilapia in water temperatures as low as 16°C during cool weather, without need for supplementation to basal commercial feed.     

Feed discrimination and selection in self-fed European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L.

Abstract This study was conducted to evaluate feed discrimination and preference of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax L., taking into account the effects of feed location, previous feeding experience and light conditions. Fish (63 g) were held in tanks and exposed to a 12L:12D photoperiod and ambient temperature. The following feeding practices were applied in triplicate: three‐choice feeding (self‐ feeding with feeds formulated for carnivorous, herbivorous and omnivorous fish rotated on a weekly basis) and monofeeding (self‐feeding with one of these feeds). After 9 weeks (phase I), fish previously held in monofeeding, were subjected to three‐choice feeding for 2 weeks (phase II). In phase I, fish discriminated between feeds after their rotational displacements and preferred the feed formulated for carnivorous species. This also supported the best growth. Fish used in phase II preferred the same feed. There was no preference for any location within tanks. Feeding was generally diurnal, although in some tests with the feeds for herbivores and omnivores, diurnal and nocturnal feed demands were similar and fewer in number than with the feed formulated for carnivores.     

Influence of stocking density on growth of juvenile red porgy Pagrus pagrus L. under different feeding conditions

The influence of stocking density and feeding regime on the growth of red porgy was studied during winter and spring 1997. Fish were held in 500-L tanks at densities of either 50 or 100 fish per tank, and were fed by means of self-feeders under 6 h restricted (day or night) or free-access feeding regimes. Fish were tagged individually, and weight gain was recorded by individual weighing every second week over an 8-week period during each season. In winter, growth was influenced by feeding time. Fish tended to grow best when fed without restriction and worst when fed at night, although differences were not significant when tank means were compared. Stocking density was influential in the spring trial. Fish stocked at low density and feeding freely grew better than high-density fish that fed either freely or at night. The division of fish into three size classes revealed that, within each treatment, no differences occurred among classes, but growth of fish belonging to the same class was influenced by rearing conditions. No significant differences were found among feeding regimes in terms of the coefficients of weight variation ratio (CV_f:CV_i) and feed efficiency.     

Dietary strategies to improve the growth and feed utilization of barramundi,Lates calcarifer under high water temperature conditions

Several dietary strategies to ameliorate poorer growth observed to occur at temperatures above the upper thermal optima were examined with juvenile barramundi (Lates calcarifer). A reference (REF) and three experimental diets, one with an increased protein to energy ratio (PRO), another with an increased level of the amino acid histidine (HIS) and a third with supplementation of dietary nucleotides (NUC), were each fed to fish at either 30 °C or 37 °C for a 28‐day period. Growth was affected by both temperature and diet. Fish fed the PRO diet at 30 °C grew fastest, but not faster than those fed the NUC diet at the same temperature. The addition of the amino acid histidine to the diet did not improve growth rates at either temperature. At water temperatures of 37 °C, only the fish fed the PRO diet had growth rates equivalent to those of fish at the 30 °C temperatures. Other key factors including feed intake, feed conversion rate, nutrient and energy retention and plasma enzymology were also all affected by temperature and diet. This study shows that the use of a diet with an increased protein to energy ratio provides significant benefits in terms of reducing the impact of growth retardation at higher temperatures.     

Influence of water temperature on food intake,food efficiency and gross composition of juvenile sea bass,Dicentrarchus labrax

The optimum ration in relation to water temperature has been determined for juvenile sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Fish were reared at 15 and 20°C. The spontaneous food intake was positively related to temperature. Four daily rations were tested at both temperatures. The optimum rations were 1.7% at 20°C and 1.2% at 15°C for fish weighing 20–30 g. The influence of temperature on growth rate, body composition and food conversion was studied. Increasing the temperature improved growth rate and gross conversion efficiency but not gross protein efficiency. The results are discussed in terms of energy utilization.     

Growth-independent effects of a fluctuating thermal regime on the life-history traits of the Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes)

Abstract –  Temperature fluctuation has been shown to affect somatic growth rates and metabolic functions of fish, but little is known about the effects of fluctuating temperatures on life-history traits. We examined these effects on female Japanese medaka ( Oryzias latipes ) reared from hatch to maturity at two mean temperatures (27 and 30 °C) with diel temperatures either held constant or allowed to fluctuate ±5 °C. Feeding regimes were manipulated to equilibrate medaka growth rates in all treatments. Age and length at maturity decreased as a result of thermal fluctuation, whereas there was no effect of temperature fluctuation on the proportion of fish attaining maturity or on the number of eggs produced by a mature female. We hypothesise that short-term high temperatures associated with temperature fluctuation decreases development time, whereas reduced energy conversion efficiency at higher temperatures does not allow for increased egg production.     

Interactions of temperature,size and photoperiod on growth and smoltification of chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)

Underyearling fall chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) were reared at two temperatures (9 and 15°C) and three photoperiods simulating winter (WIN), spring—summer (SS), and natural (NAT) conditions. The two artificial photoperiods were adjusted according to fish size so that an equinoctial photoperiod was synchronized with a hypothesized optimum size range for smolting (8–14 cm fork length). Fish exposed to a winter (WIN) photoperiod had the slowest growth rate. Fish under the SS photoperiod at both temperatures and under the WIN photoperiod at 9°C displayed hypoosmoregulatory capability near the equinoctial daylength. Thyroxine concentrations in fish reared under a natural photoperiod remained at basal levels during the period of early saltwater adaptiveness and throughout the remainder of the experiment. Thyroxine titers showed significant increases under all experimental photoperiod—temperature combinations near the equinoctial daylength with the exception of the 15°C/SS treatment.     

Performance of Advanced Juvenile Cobia,Rachycentron canadum,Reared Under Different Thermal Regimes: Evidence for Compensatory Growth and a Method for Cold Banking

ABSTRACT

Two trials were undertaken to examine the growth response of juvenile cobia, Rachycentron canadum, at varying temperatures. The initial trial was conducted to determine the effect of various temperatures (18, 23, and 29°C) on weight gain and feed efficiency. The second trial investigated the effect of elevating water temperature in which fish maintained at 18°C and 23°C to a temperature close to their optimum (29°C). The latter study was undertaken in order to determine the effect of thermal shifts upon subsequent growth response of the species. Such information will assist commercial producers in developing various culture guidelines. As anticipated, differences (P < 0.01) in weight gain were recorded among all treatments, although remarkably, feed efficiency did not differ for cobia held at 23°C and 29°C. Following thermal shift, cobia subjected to the largest temperature change (18–29°C) illustrated an immediate growth response, but specific growth rates (SGR) did not exceed that of cobia held at 29°C for the duration of the trial. Nevertheless, when SGR were examined using fish of similar size (i.e., derived from different time points during the study) evidence for growth compensation was obtained. This study illustrates that cobia can be held at reduced temperatures, without detrimental impact on future performance, as a means of maintaining animals at smaller size for production and experimental purposes: “Cold banking.”     

Effects of Water Temperature on Sock Grading of Sub-Marketable Channel Catfish,Ictalurus punctatus,in Earthen Ponds

Abstract

The passive sock grading method used by commercial channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus, farmers to grade and reduce the number of under-sized fish delivered to processing plants was assessed on an experimental scale. The assessment was conducted at the Aquaculture Research Station at the University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff in 0.1-ha earthen ponds. A rectangular holding sock was fabricated with dimensions of 0.9 m in width, 2.4 m in length, and 1.2 m in depth. The mesh size of the sock was 4.4 cm and the mesh material was nylon netting, 0.64 cm in diameter. Seventeen groups of channel catfish, were graded, with group weights ranging from approximately 115 to 370 kilograms. Fish were held in the sock for approximately three hours (±0.27 hours). The water temperature during the trials ranged from 7.3°C to 28.7°C. The percent removal of fish less than 0.45 kg during the three-hour holding period ranged from 27.6% to 73.3%. Overall, sock grading efficiency increased with increasing water temperature and at water temperatures above 15°C a greater percentage of fish less than 0.45 kg were not retained in the socks.     

Is the fast growth of an equatorial Micropterus salmoides population explained by high water temperature?

Britton JR, Harper DM, Oyugi DO. Is the fast growth of an equatorial Micropterus salmoides population explained by high water temperature? Ecology of Freshwater Fish 2010: 19: 228–238. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Abstract – Marginal increment analysis of scales collected from the introduced Micropterus salmoides population of Lake Naivasha, Kenya revealed the formation of an annual growth check, validating their use to age individual fish. Subsequent analysis of scales from 372 fish collected between 2002 and 2009 revealed individuals were very fast growing compared with native populations in North America and other introduced populations in Europe, South America, Africa and Asia. This was likely to be as a result of the water temperatures in Lake Naivasha exceeding 20 °C throughout the year. This was corroborated by a meta‐analysis of the growth parameters asymptotic length L_∞ and growth coefficient K from across their geographical range that revealed variance was explained by differences in mean annual air temperatures. At a break point of approximately 10 °C, there was a shift to reduced L_∞ and increased K, suggesting a temperature driven trade‐off between growth rate and ultimate length. When adjusted for temperature and weighted for sample size, there were significant differences between the growth parameters of the North American and introduced populations, suggesting that other abiotic and biotic variables were also important determinants of the growth of individuals between the two ranges.     

Growth effects in Arctic charr reared in cold water: Feed frequency, access to bottom feeding and stocking density

The effects of time restricted feeding, possibility of bottomfeeding and stocking density on the growth of Arctic charr(Salvelinus alpinus L.) were examined in fish held at lowtemperature (<2 °C). Fish fed for a restricted time (1 h) hadsignificantly (p < 0.05) lower specific growth rate (0.15 vs0.32% per day) than those fed the same ration over an extendedtime period (12 h). Increasing stocking densities had a positive andsignificant effect (p < 0.05) on growth with SGR increasing from 0.27to 0.52% per day at 2–30 kg m^-3. Fish withaccess to feed on the tank floor had a significantly higher (p <0.05) growth rate (0.3 vs 0.13% per day) than those without thepossibility to feed from the bottom. When fish were held underconditions without access to the bottom a doubling of the feed rationdid not result in a significant (p > 0.05) increase in growth rate(0.13 vs 0.12%percnt; per day).     

NaCl盐度和NaHCO3碱度对大鳞鲃幼鱼生长及鳃组织特征的影响

在水温22~25℃的条件下,研究不同盐度、碱度水体对大鳞(Barbus capito)幼鱼生长、摄食和鳃组织的影鲃响,探索了幼鱼生长的最适条件.单因素盐度梯度值设置为0(对照组)、2.0、4.0、6.1、7.8、10.0和11.9,实验结果表明,当盐度高于6.1时,大鳞幼鱼的体长和体质量受到显著影响(P<0.05);盐度2.0时幼鱼的终末体质量值最鲃大;盐度4.0时体质量特定增长率和饵料转化效率最高,盐度11.9时均降至最低;盐度到达7.8时对幼鱼生长有抑制作用,依据理论公式推算,幼鱼的最适生长盐度应为1.88.单因素碱度梯度值为10.00、15.83、25.10、39.80和63.12 mmol/L,碱度高于25.10 mmol/L时对幼鱼的体质量、饵料转化效率及总摄食量均有显著影响(P<0.05);碱度15.83 mmol/L时幼鱼的终末体质量、体质量生长率和饵料转化效率值最高,碱度63.12 mmol/L时最低.碱度到达39.80 mmol/L时对幼鱼生长有抑制作用,依据理论公式推算,幼鱼的最适生长碱度为20.57 mmol/L.从鳃组织的显微结构观察结果来看,随着盐度和碱度的升高,鳃小片上皮细胞出现肿胀、脱落和坏死的现象,泌氯细胞的体积膨胀,从而影响了幼鱼的生长.综上所述,大鳞幼鱼期,养殖盐度不宜超过6.1,碱度不超过25.10 mmol/L.鲃     

Effects of pond depth and water temperature on the growth, mortality and body composition of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

The effects of varying water depths and temperature on the growth, feed utilization, mortality rates and body composition of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.), were evaluated. Triplicate groups of 20 fish (mixed-sex) m^-3 were stocked into 200-m² freshwater earthen ponds maintaining four water depths: 50, 100, 200 and 300 cm. The fish were fed on commercial fish pellets (23% protein), twice a day for 10 months (May 1991-February 1992). Water temperatures ranged from 5 ^oC to 33 ^oC. Growth performance and survival were significantly affected by pond depth and water temperature. Fish weight gain was lowest (250 g per fish), feed conversion poorest (3.15), and mortality highest (41.5%) at 50 cm depth, whereas 100-200 cm depth produced the best growth rates at warm water temperatures (> 21 ^oC). At 100-200 cm depth, weight gain was significantly (P<0.001) increased to 348-362 g per fish, feed conversion improved to 2.53-2.59 (P<0.01) and mortality reduced to 21-27% (P<0.001). Fish growth was significantly reduced (P<0.001) below 21 ^oC. Below 10 ^oC, fish stopped feeding and developed severe stress, fungal infection and high mortality. However, mortality rate was significantly reduced at 300 cm depth. Body lipid and protein were sharply decreased (P<0.001) with decreasing water temperature and pond depth, whereas body ash showed irregular patterns.