Effects of salinity on osmoregulation during the embryonic development of the bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus Jenyns 1842)

To evaluate the effect of salinity on the hatching rate, hatching time, survival percentage, osmoregulation pattern and the incidence of abnormalities in newly hatched larvae, embryos of Sphoeroides annulatus (Jenyns 1842) were exposed to 5, 12, 19, 26, 33, 35 and 40 psu. The hatching percentage (HP), survival percentage (PS), normal larvae (PN), deformed larvae (PD) and hatching time (HT) were significantly affected by salinity (P < 0.05). The embryos exposure to 5 psu caused that HP, PS, and PN had lower values (2.6 ± 0.32, 7.78 ± 0.88 and 70.37 ± 7.75% respectively), PD and HT had the highest values 26.67 ± 7.54% and 55.53 ± 0.59 h respectively. However, the survival of newly hatched larvae was not possible in 5 ups, though it was in 40 ups. Osmotic pressure (OP) remained constant in each salinity, whereas isosmotic points changed from 435.5 mOsm kg^?1 in 21 h post fertilization to 342.8 mOsm kg^?1 at 47 h post fertilization, obtaining a pattern of hyper‐osmoregulation at lower salinities and hypo‐osmoregulation in higher salinities. This study is the first carried out on embryos of this species; therefore, the obtained information is essential to improve strategies and growing conditions in their initial development.     

Fluctuating salinity effect on Sphoeroides annulatus (Jenyns 1842) physiological responses

Euryhaline fish, such as the Bullseye puffer Sphoeroides annulatus (Jenyns 1842), experience sudden salinity changes in their natural environment, which is more common than the exception, so they must adapt to survive and cope with extreme salt conditions. Therefore, Bullseye puffer juveniles were exposed to short‐term stress (39 hr) by fluctuating salinity conditions (41, 35, 29, 23, 17, 11, 5, 11, 17, 23, 29, 35, 41 psu) with a 3‐hr interval between each point at 26 ± 1ºC in a respirometer chamber and acclimation reservoirs. Responses to oxygen consumption rate (OCR: 23–35 mg O₂ h^–1 kg^–1), ammonium excretion rate (AER: 1–1.85 mg NH4⁺ h^?1 kg^?1), oxygen‐nitrogen atomic ratio (O:N 17–30), osmoregulatory pattern (blood osmotic pressure from 342.4 to 332.8 mmol/kg) and changes in expression levels of Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase in the gills (higher values at higher salinities) were measured. Although some signs of stress were detected below the iso‐osmotic point (11.4 psu), the puffer fish is a strong euryhaline fish that survives under these conditions. Nonetheless, it could recover when salinity returned to the initial acclimation point because Sphoeroides annulatus is able to live in a wide range of environments with wide natural salinity fluctuations; thus, a common practice in aquaculture has been to expose fish to low salinity for several reasons discussed in this study. This capacity reveals its high plasticity to saline adaptation from 41 to 5 psu an up from 5 to 41 psu, all in less than 2 days.     

Effect of low salinity on the expression profile of Na+/K+‐ATPase and the growth of juvenile chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus Houttuyn)

Chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus Houttuyn) is one of the most commercially important scombroid fish used as a food resource. Recently, there has been a demand for efficient rearing methods of this fish for a full‐life cycle aquaculture. In the present study, we evaluated the physiological responses in the juvenile S. japonicus to different ambient salinities. A significantly higher gain of the body mass was observed in the juveniles reared in 24 g/L and 13 g/L seawater than in those reared in natural seawater (34 g/L) within 40 days of the experimental period without affecting mortality. A principal enzyme for osmoregulation, Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase, was expressed in the ionocytes located in the gill filaments of the juveniles. The number and the cell size of ionocytes and the enzymatic activity of Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase in the gills decreased within 10 days after the low‐salinity challenge, which implies the reduction of the energy‐consuming active ion secretion under the low‐salinity environment. The physiological capacity for adaptation to low‐salinity seawater in chub mackerel could be basic knowledge to carry out culturing of these fish in coastal sea pens where ambient salinity fluctuates. The improvement of the growth performance by rearing in low‐salinity seawater will contribute to the efficient production of the seed juveniles for aquaculture.     

Salinity regulates antioxidant enzyme and Na+K+‐ATPase activities of juvenile golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus 1758)

Effects of salinity on the growth, survival, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and sodium‐potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na⁺K⁺‐ATPase) activities of juvenile golden pompano Trachinotus ovatus were studied under a laboratory condition. Experimental fish were reared at the salinities of 10‰, 18‰, 26‰ and 34‰ for 30 days. Growth and survival of juvenile golden pompano were significantly affected by the rearing salinity. Fish reared at 34‰ achieved the highest specific growth rate, while the highest survival was obtained when fish were cultured at the salinity of 26‰. The highest GPX activity was obtained when fish were cultured at 26‰, and the lowest GPX activity was observed when fish reared at 34‰ salinity. The SOD activities of fish reared at 18‰ and 34‰ were significantly higher than those reared at 10‰ and 26‰. The lowest of Na⁺K⁺‐ATPase activity was obtained in fish reared at 34‰, while the highest Na⁺K⁺‐ATPase activity was obtained when fish reared at 18‰. Results from present study indicate that juvenile golden pompano can be reared above 18‰ without sacrificing fish survival, and the best growth can be achieved when fish is reared at the salinity of 34‰. The salinity of 10‰ may be too low for juvenile golden pompano as the growth, survival and SOD activity were reduced.