An experimental study into the possible protection of fry from Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Fouquet) infections during mouthbrooding of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters)

Abstract. The tilapine fish species belonging to the genus Oreochromis brood developing eggs and early fry in their buccal cavities. Though it is obvious that mouth brooding facilitates a physical protection from environmental hazards by keeping fry in this confined environment, it is still not clear whether mouth brooding provides any other type of protection to the early fry against pathogens. Investigations were made to study the possibility of protection of early fry of O. mossambicus against infections of the ciliate parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis during mouth brooding. Adult females were effectively immunized against I. multifiliis. Brooding immune females were then challenged with controlled infections of I. multifiliis tomites and the survival of the fry compared to those of challenged non-immune brooding females. The study demonstrated that there was some protection from the infection conferred to fry during mouthbrooding.     

Immunization of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus Rafinesque, against Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Fouquet): killed versus live vaccines

Abstract. Fish surviving infection with the pathogenic ciliated protozoan, Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (Fouquet, 1876), become resistant to subsequent infection by the parasite. The acquired immunity suggests that development of a vaccine against the parasite may be possible. Because of the advantages of immunoprophylaxis for treatment of the disease, an effort has been made to determine whether fish exposed to killed parasite preparations can resist subsequent lethal challenge. Both the route of administration and the effects of stage specific antigens have been examined. Channel catfish vaccinated by intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection or bath immersion with killed I multifiliis tomites show 100% mortality following a standard challenge protocol. Similarly, 100% mortality was observed in test groups injected with tomite cilia. In both cases, a consistent difference in days to death between control and test group animals was observed. Although complete mortality was seen with fish injected with tomite preparations, fish vaccinated with killed trophonts (the feeding stage of the parasite) had a much greater degree of protection with approximately 50% of fish surviving an otherwise lethal challenge. Finally, animals injected intraperitoneally with live tomites showed nearly complete immunity and were identical in their response to fish which survive natural infection. The response of fish vaccinated with live parasites indicates that animals injected intraperitoneally can develop surface immunity and that i.p. injection is a suitable route of administration for potential I. multifiliis vaccines.     

Salinity tolerance of Nile tilapia fry (Oreochromis niloticus), spawned and hatched at various salinities

Fertilized eggs of the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) spawned in freshwater, were removed from mouthbrooding females, 1 day post-spawning and artificially incubated at elevated salinities. At 6 days post-hatching, mean survivals of 85.5, 84.4, 82.5, 56.3, 37.9, 20.0 and 0% were recorded for broods incubated at salinities of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 32 ppt, respectively. Fertilized eggs exhibited a 96-h median lethal salinity (MLS-96) of 18.9 ppt, a value identical to that of 7- to 120-day-old fry and fingerlings. Fertilized eggs exhibited a higher median survival time (ST₅₀ = 978 min) than 7- to 395-day-old fry and fingerlings (ST₅₀ = 28.8–179.0 min).The salinity tolerances of fry spawned at various salinities and fry spawned in freshwater but hatched at various salinities, were determined using the median survival time (ST₅₀), mean survival time (MST) and 96 h-median lethal salinity (MLS-96) indices. For comparative purposes, fry spawned and hatched in freshwater were acclimatized to various salinities and their salinity tolerance determined. Fry salinity tolerance progressively increased with increasing salinity of spawning, hatching, or acclimatization. However, at equivalent salinity, early exposure (spawning) produced progeny of comparatively higher salinity tolerance than those spawned in freshwater and hatched at elevated salinity. Similarly, at equivalent salinity, progeny spawned in freshwater but hatched at elevated salinity exhibited higher salinity tolerance than those spawned and hatched in freshwater, then acclimatized to an elevated salinity.The utility of these methods of early salinity exposure toward the saltwater culture of tilapias is discussed.     

Onset of immunity in salmonid fry vaccinated by direct immersion in Vibrio anguillarum and Yersinia ruckeri bacterins

Abstract. The fry of several salmonid species were vaccinated by direct immersion in either Yersinia ruckeri or Vibrio anguillarum bacterin and the level of protective immunity was determined by the survival of fish after bath challenge with virulent organisms. The immersion time for effective vaccination was obtained within 5 s and protective immunity was demonstrated within 5 days at 18°C and within 10 days at 10°C. The minimum size at which maximum protective immunity occurred was between 1.0 and 2.5 g. Immunity appeared to be a function of size and not age, but differences in response among several species were indicated. In fish under 1.0 g, the level of protective immunity could be increased using a more concentrated bacterin. The results were similar with both bacterins.     

Genetic parameters and correlated responses in female reproductive traits in the GIFT strain

The effect of selection for greater growth rate in the GIFT strain on traits related to female reproduction (weight at spawning, number of eggs, number of fry, total weight of fry and number of dead fry) was studied. Available records comprised 10 generations of data from a total of 935 breeding females with known pedigree. Female body weight at spawning was 255 g, whereas the averages for number of eggs, number of live fry at hatching, number of dead fry and total fry weight per spawning were 1444, 908, 64.90, and 7.24 g respectively. Heritabilities for reproductive traits were low to moderate (0.20 for number of eggs, 0.16 for number of hatched fry and 0.11 for fry weight per female at spawning). The genetic correlations between female body weight at spawning and reproductive traits were very low to low (0.01 to 0.31) and not significantly different from zero. The genetic correlations among reproductive traits (i.e. number of eggs, number of hatched fry and fry weight) were high (0.75 to 0.92). Phenotypic correlations were consistent with the genetic correlations, ranging from 0.56 to 0.85. Correlated responses in reproductive traits measured as differences in least squares means between Selection and Control lines were positive and significant (except for the number of dead fry) when age of females at spawning was fitted as a covariate. However, there were no significant differences in all studied traits when body weight of the female at spawning was fitted as a covariate within lines. This indicates that the greater reproductive rate was due to the greater size of females in the Selection line, but the efficiency of reproduction per unit weight of female did not change as a consequence of selection for growth.     

Comparative Survival from Salmon (Salmo salar L.) Stocking with Eyed and Green Ova in an Upland Stream

The survival rates of salmon stocked as eyed ova and green eggs in an upland trout stream were compared by electrofishing a number of sites during their first summer and at the end of their first complete year. The results were compared with the survival rates in the naturally spawning trout population. It was found that the survival rates from eyed ova were considerably better than that from green eggs and the results were discussed in the context of environmental effects and territorial competition in emerging fry.     

Cell-mediated immune response of goldfish, Carassiusaurafus (L.), to Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

Goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.), were intraperitoneally injected with two doses of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis (each containing 2.3 × 10⁶ live tomites) in saline, 30 days apart. The control fish were injected with saline only. Two weeks after the last vaccination, fish of both groups were intradermally injected with 2.5 × 10⁵ live tomites for skin tests. The skin at the antigen-injected site of the vaccinated fish increased in thickness from 8 h onwards and reached a peak at 24 h. Histological study showed a heavy infiltration of mononuclear leucocytes at the antigen-injected site. In contrast, no such changes were encountered in control fish. The migration area of pronephros cells from the vaccinated fish was significantly inhibited, in vitro, compared to controls with the presence of antigens. These findings suggest that the tomite-vaccinated fish produced a cell-mediated immune response. However, vaccinated fish also exhibited significantly higher titres of immobilizing antibodies in their sera and mucus than the controls. Therefore, it is likely that both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses have to work closely together to eliminate the infectious tomites of I. multifiliis which succeed in penetrating the fish epithelial tissues.     

嘉陵江渠化对主要经济鱼类产卵场的影响

为探究嘉陵江渠化对主要经济鱼类产卵场的影响,2019年3-4月,采用历史资料搜集、访问调查和实地勘察的方法,并结合DNA条形码技术鉴定野外采集的样品。结果显示,原有60个主要经济鱼类产卵场中,41个已经消失,14个存在但已经发生改变,只有5个基本未改变;从产卵场数量、类型和规模来看,均呈减少趋势,仍存在的主要为鲤（Cyprinus carpio）、鲫（Carassius auratus）产卵场。共鉴定鱼卵1 362粒、鱼苗539尾,隶属2目2科12种。鱼卵仅3种,其中,鲤1039粒,占比76.28%;鲫312粒,占比22.91%;红鳍原鲌（Cultrichthys erythropterus）11粒,占比0.81%。鱼苗11种,包括鲤、鲫、马口鱼（Opsariichthys bidens）、麦穗鱼（Pseudorasbora parva）、峨眉鱊（Acheilognathus omeiensis）、大鳍鱊（Acheilognathus macropterus）、兴凯鱊（Acheilognathus chankaensis）、?（Hemiculter leucisculus）、短须颌须鮈（Gnathopogon imberbis）、子陵吻虾虎鱼（Rhinogobius giurinus）、粘皮鲻虾虎鱼（Mugilogobius myxodermus）;其中,兴凯鱊最多,有372尾,占比69.02%;其次为鲫59尾,占比10.95%;鲤57尾,占比10.58%;其他占比仅9.46%。研究表明,产卵场的改变主要集中在水文情势、河床底质和水生植物等方面,梯级水电站开发和采砂作业等导致河道变宽、水位上升、流速降低、卵石漫滩等生境消失、水生植物生物量减少,是原有产卵场消失或改变的主要原因。     

葛洲坝下中华鲟产卵场卵苗输移过程的数值模拟

基于水动力学计算的基本原理,采用三维水动力模型及粒子跟踪技术,模拟了中华鲟(Acipenser sinensis)卵苗输移过程。将目前葛洲坝下中华鲟产卵场区域划分为9个子区域,将粒子赋予中华鲟卵粒特征,反演了中华鲟2009年自然繁殖卵苗沿河道输移路线和扩散过程。在划分的9个区域中,区域1、2、5为极有可能的产卵位置。模拟得到的产卵位置、卵输移路径及输移时间与实际监测情况基本一致。模拟结果显示,卵苗输移受天然河道地形和水流流场变化的影响较大。     

Small-scale fry production systems for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Abstract Experiments were conducted to evaluate and compare the production, quality and survival of eggs and the subsequent growth and survival of fry in two small-scale production systems: natural incubation and egg collection followed by artificial incubation. Artificial incubation produced a significantly greater number and biomass of fry per unit weight of female broodstock (P < 0·05). This was due to the significantly decreased spawning interval in females from which eggs were collected (mean = 23· days) compared to naturally incubating females (mean = 36·8 days). It is also hypothesized that survival during artificial incubation (85%) is greater than in natural incubation. Cost-benefit analysis demonstrated a threefold increase in total net returns for artificial incubation.     

Broodstock management and egg production of milkfish, Chanos chanos Forsskal

Abstract. The milkfish, Chanos chanos Forsskal, industry in the Philippines suffers from a limited supply of wild fry. The demand for milkfish fry has spurred research in artificial propagation to supplement the natural seed supply. Spontaneous maturation and spawning of milkfish beginning at 5 years of rearing in floating net cages or concrete tanks coupled with improved egg collection technique have increased daily egg collection to a maximum of 3 million eggs and provided adequate volumes of eggs for mass fry production. Annual egg collection and number of spawnings were markedly higher in cage-reared stocks older than 9 years old than stocks less than 9 years old. Egg collection of tank-reared stocks were comparable to those collected in cages. As feed constitutes a major portion of the operating expenses for establishing and maintaining milkfish broodstock, further studies must be geared towards defining optimum dietary requirements and ration size for gonadal maturation and spawning. Also environmental manipulation studies must be conducted for year-round spawning. Developments in these areas should ensure the production of maximum numbers of high quality eggs and fry year-round.     

Improving spawning synchrony in the Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Abstract. The development stage and number of seed (eggs and fry) removed from individual incubating Oreochromis niloticus (L.) broodfish at 10-day interharvest intervals (IHI) was compared with the harvest of free-swimming fry from undisturbed fish held in a tank within the same system. Spawning synchrony and productivity were compared for (1) total exchange of females for ‘conditioned’ females after each harvest, (2) exchange of only spawned females, and (3) return of females back into the spawning tank. Improved synchrony and seed production were positively related to removal of eggs and fry from incubating females and could have important implications for broodstock management in commercial hatcheries. Allowing fish to remain undisturbed in clear water tanks may lead to inhibition of spawning activity related to the formation of hierarchies. Individual weight loss by females during incubation was correlated with stage of seed harvested and thus with timing of spawning during the interharvest interval.     

Effects of Environmental Sodium Chloride on Percent Hatch, Yolk Utilization, and Survival of Channel Catfish Fry

Abstract.— Only limited research has addressed the effect of salinity on hatching of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus eggs, and no studies have evaluated the effect of salinity on fry development and survival. This study was undertaken to determine the effect of environmental sodium chloride (0, 1, 2, and 4 g/L. NaCl) on percent hatch, yolk utilization, and survival of channel catfish fry. Experiments were conducted in recirculating systems using seven egg masses (1–2 d old). Each egg mass was divided into smaller portions which remained undissociated or were dissociated with sodium sulfite (NaSO₃). Eggs were incubated until hatching. Wet and dry weights were obtained for sacfry at 1 and 5 d post-hatch to determine wet weight gain and dry weight loss, and fry were sampled 7 d after initiation of exogenous feeding to determine survival. Percent hatch, yolk utilization, and survival of fry hatched from undissociated eggs were greatest at 1 g/L NaCl. In addition, treatment of eggs with NaSO₃ significantly reduced percent hatch at all NaCl levels. Although our results indicate that addition of NaCI to hatchery water supplies can increase production of channel catfish fry, additional research is needed before this practice can be recommended on a commercial basis.     

Analysis of protective mechanisms in cultured ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck and Schlegel, administered Vibrio vaccine by the immersion method

Abstract. The protective effect of Vibrio angnillarum immunization administered by the direct immersion technique in ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis Temminck and Schlegel, was investigated. The activities of phagoeytic cells were suppressed at the time of vaccination by previous bath exposures to a cyclophosphamide solution containing a concentration of 500 mg/kg/ml on days 2 and 3 before vaccination. An artificial challenge was carried out 3 weeks after vaccination by bath exposure. The survival rate of the vaccine group pretreated with cyclophosphamide was 96%. In the group given traditional vaccine only, 73% survived; and in the non-vaccine control group, 10% survived. These results suggest that protective immunity of ayu vaccinated by the direct immersion technique may not implicate the early activities of phagoeytic cells.     

黄颡鱼人工繁殖及鱼苗培育试验

以鲜鱼虾肉、自制配合料为饵料，在室内和室外水泥池内进行黄颡鱼亲鱼培育；采用DOM、PG、LHRH－A2、HCG不同剂量组合进行人工催产；采用静水和微流水两种方法进行孵化。在孵化网箱内进行鱼苗培育。结果表明：黄颡鱼亲鱼喜食新鲜饵料，也易驯食配合饲料，室内和室外人工条件下均能获得成熟亲鱼；用DOM＋HGG＋LHRH－A2或PG＋HCG＋LHRH－A2的混合剂人工催产，微流水孵化效果较好，催产率为50％－1005，受精率为60％－90％，孵化率达70％－90％；小网箱培育鱼苗，成活率高，规格整齐。     

鳜鱼人工繁殖及苗种培育技术初步研究

鳜鱼亲鱼的培育,重点是投喂适口、数足的饵料鱼;亲鱼的选择用外观法并结合挖卵观察,催产采用一次注射PG(或RES)+混合A型激素,用自然产卵受精的方法;提高鳜鱼苗成活率在于开口时能供给个体适宜的团头鲂及各期饵料鱼。     

Spontaneous maturation and spawning of milkfish in floating net cages

Milkfish (Chanos chanos Forsskal) reared from wild-caught fry and from hatchery-bred fry matured at 3.5–5.5 years (2.3–4.9 kg). Maturation and spawning of the hatcherybred fish marks the first time the milkfish life-cycle has been completed in captivity.Milkfish at various stages of gonadal development were obtained in July–October 1980 and March–June 1981 derived from wild-caught fry, and in February–June 1983 from the hatchery-bred fish. The fish were held in floating net cages 9 m and 10 m diameter by 3 m deep, located in 7 m deep water off Igang, Guimaras Island, Philippines. Annual ranges of temperature and salinity were 25–33°C and 25–38 ppt, respectively. The fish were fed commercial feed pellet (42% protein) at 1.5–2% of body weight twice daily.Sexual maturation occurred during the natural breeding season of wild milkfish in the nearby waters. Gonadosomatic index (GSI) of mature males was 0.32–3.95 (wild-caught, 0.32–3.95; hatchery-bred, 1.71–3.85). For mature females it was 1.24–8.12 (wildcaught, 1.56–7.62; hatchery-bred, 1.24–8.12). Two spawnings were recorded in August 1980 and eight in May–July 1981 from the broodstock derived from wild-caught fry, with 342–6293 eggs collected from each spawning, while 14 spawnings were observed in May–June 1983 from the hatchery-bred fish, with 770–114 000 eggs collected. The time of spawning was between 23.00 and 02.00 h. Fertilization rate was 55–99% for the broodstock from wild-caught fry and 47–100% for the hatchery-bred fish. Hatch rate varied from 9 to 80%.Factors affecting spontaneous maturation, spawning and rematuration are discussed. Although slight improvements in egg collection were obtained, further innovations in egg collecting techniques will have to be developed. The results indicate the potential for hatchery production of milkfish fry from captive broodstock and for restocking of waters deprived of naturally occurring fry.     

Residues of [14C]-malachite green in eggs and fry of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), after treatment of eggs

Abstract. Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), eggs were exposed to [methane-¹⁴C] malachite green chloride on day 0 and on every third day thereafter through day 24, with a final treatment administered to fry on day 31. Eggs or fry were sampled before each treatment, and at selected times from day 31 to day 59. Malachite green equivalence in eggs and fry was determined by sample oxidation and liquid scintillation counting. Total malachite green residues increased throughout the exposure period to 0.271 ± 0.042 μg g⁻¹ (± SD) on day 31. Residues declined to 0.055 ± 0.011 μg g⁻¹ on day 59. The depuration phase declined monoexponentially with a half-life of 13.3 days for the absolute amount (μg sample⁻¹) and a half-life of 9.7 days for the concentration of malachite green residues (μg g⁻¹). Growth dilution accounted for the 25% increase in the elimination (9.7 days) of malachite green residues. Extracts from treated eggs and fry were analysed by reversed-phase liquid chromatography. Three peaks were resolved in treated eggs: chromatic malachite green, leuco malachite green and an unknown polar metabolite. Only two peaks were resolved in the fry: leuco malachite green and the unknown polar metabolite. The most prominent residue in all samples was leuco malachite green.     

Composition and location of simulated lake-shore redds influence incubation success in kokanee, Oncorhynchus nerka

Abstract  Methods for improving spawning habitat for lakeshore spawning kokanee, Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), were explored by quantifying incubation success of embryos exposed to three substrate treatments in Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho, USA. Substrate treatments included no modification that used existing gravels in the lake (EXISTING), a cleaned substrate treatment where existing gravels were sifted in the water column to remove silt (CLEANED) and the addition of new, silt-free gravel (ADDED). Incubation success was evaluated using Whitlock–Vibert incubation boxes buried within each substrate treatment that contained recently fertilised embryos. Upon retrieval, live and dead sac fry and eyed eggs were enumerated to determine incubation success (sac fry and eyed eggs × 100/number of fertilised embryos). Incubation success varied significantly among locations and redd treatments. In general, incubation success among ADDED redds (0.0–13.0%) was significantly lower than that for EXISTING (1.4–61.0%) and CLEANED (0.4–62.5%) redds. Adding new gravel to spawning areas changed the morphometry of the gravel-water interface and probably exposed embryos to disturbance from wave action and reduced embryo survival. Moreover, efforts to improve spawning habitat for lakeshore spawning kokanee should consider water depth and location (e.g. protected shorelines) as important variables. Adding clean gravel to existing spawning areas may provide little benefit if water depth or lake-bottom morphometry are altered.     

Exposure to insecticides inhibits embryo development and emergence in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.)

Exposure to environmental levels of the sheep-dip insecticides cypermethrin and diazinon inhibited embryo development in Atlantic salmon. Brief exposure to eggs and milt during fertilisation affected both the number of fry that emerged and the time of emergence. Following insecticide exposure there was a higher incidence of fry deformities and a reduction in the survival of the fry. This may have implications for the successful reproduction of salmon in contaminated waters.