Effect of exposure to low salinity water on plasma ion regulation and survival rates in artificially wounded devil stinger <Emphasis Type="Italic">Inimicus japonicus</Emphasis>

We investigated the effect of exposure to low salinity water on plasma ion regulation and survival rates in artificially wounded devil stinger Inimicus japonicus. All fishes survived in 33% seawater (SW), while survival rate in 100% SW was 5.1% at 24 h. In 100% SW, plasma Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺ concentrations significantly increased to 238?±?49.9, 9.6?±?2.4, 15.1?±?3.5 and 5.0?±?0.7 mmol/l at 6 h, respectively; the gill Na⁺/K⁺–ATPase (NKA) activity was almost stable, although only one fish survived to 24 h. In 33% SW, plasma Na⁺ and K⁺ concentrations remained at the same level, and plasma Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ concentrations gradually increased to 16.2?±?0.7 and 4.5?±?0.2 mmol/l until 24 h, respectively. The NKA activity significantly increased to 5.1?±?1.1 µmol ADP/mg protein per h at 6 h. A positive correlation was observed between the wound surface area against body weight and the plasma ion concentrations, although no difference was observed in the restoration rate of the wounded area between 100 and 33% SW. These results indicate that exposure of wounded fish to low salinity water improves survivability by favoring plasma ion regulation without influencing the restoration rate.     

Use of Grain Distillers Dried Yeast in Practical Diets for Juvenile Pacific White Shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei

Grain distillers dried yeast (GDDY) is a yeast‐based protein source that is obtained from the bioethanol industry. A range of yeast‐based products has been evaluated as nutritional supplements in fish diets, yet there is limited information in shrimp. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the production response of Litopenaeus vannamei fed diets containing increasing levels of GDDY in two growth trials. In trial 1, five diets formulated to contain 360 g/kg crude protein, 80 g/kg lipids, and up to 300 g GDDY/kg were evaluated under laboratory conditions with juvenile shrimp (1.90 ± 0.10 g, initial weight). In trial 2, juvenile shrimp (0.40 ± 0.01 g, initial weight) were fed similar diets where lysine was supplemented in diets with high levels of GDDY (200 and 300 g/kg of diet). The results from this study demonstrate that inclusion of GDDY up to 300 g/kg of diet did not cause negative effects on final biomass, mean final weight, feed conversion ratio, and survival. Furthermore, the addition of lysine to diets with high levels of GDDY (200 and 300 g/kg of diet) did not enhance growth performance under the reported conditions, confirming lysine was not limiting. Consequently, these results indicate that up to 300 g GDDY/kg of diet can be used in practical diets for L. vannamei in a clear water system.     

Aerobic Bacterial Flora of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) Cultured in Earthen Ponds in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT

Quantitative and qualitative estimation of bacterial flora present in pond water, sediments, gills, and intestine of healthy common carp Cyprinus carpio cultured in Saudi Arabia were performed and identified to species level where possible. Mean total viable bacterial counts in pond water ranged from 1.2?±?2.9?×?10⁴ to 2.5?±?3.5?×?10⁵ cfu/mL; in sediments, 9.3?±?2.1?×?10⁷ to 2.7?±?3.5?×?10⁹ cfu/g; in gills filaments, 4.3?±?2.9?×?10⁶ to 1.6?±?3.9?×?10⁷ cfu/g; and in intestine, 8.7?±?4.1?×?10⁹ to 5.4?±?3.2?×?10¹⁰ cfu/g. Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria dominated (76%) the populations. In total, 12 bacterial genera and 15 species were identified. Pond water and sediment bacteria had the reflection on bacterial composition of gills and intestine of carp. Intestinal bacteria showed more diversification in contrast to gill bacteria. Aeromonas hydrophila, Shewanella putrefaciens, Vibrio cholerae, Corynebacterium urealyticum, Vibrio vulnificus, Vibrio sp., and Staphylococcus sp. were the common bacteria in all the populations. In pond water and carp intestine, A. hydrophila, S. putrefaciens, V. cholerae, and C. urealyticum were the most dominant bacteria (prevalence ≥ 10%) where pond sediments and the carp gills experienced with more one dominant bacterium V. vulnificus. Only the A. hydrophila covered one fourth (25%) of the total bacterial populations.     

Chronic effect after acute exposure to commercial petroleum fuels on physiological status of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.)

Quantitative and qualitative analyses of bacterial flora associated with pond water, gills, and intestine of polycultured healthy common carp (Cyprinus carpio) and African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) were carried out and identified to species level where possible. Total viable bacterial counts in the pond water ranged from 9.2?±?5.5?×?10³ to 6.6?±?5.1?×?10⁴ colony-forming units (cfu)/mL; in the gill filaments of carp and catfish, 3.3?±?3.8?×?10⁶ to 7.9?±?5.6?×?10⁶ and 1.1?±?4.6?×?10⁵ to 2.3?±?5.2?×?10⁶ cfu/g, respectively; and in the intestine of carp and catfish, 1.4?±?2.9?×?10¹⁰ to 1.7?±?6.0?×?10¹¹ and 2.7?±?3.4?×?10¹⁰ to 1.0?±?4.5?×?10¹¹ cfu/g, respectively. Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria dominated the populations: 90% in carp, 89% in catfish, 80% in water, and 86% in the total populations. Altogether, 14 bacterial species of 10 genera were identified in total populations. Pond water bacteria had a reflection on the bacterial composition of the gills and intestine of carp and catfish. Aeromonas hydrophila, Shewanella putrefaciens, Vibrio cholerae, Staphylococcus sp., and Vibrio vulnificus appeared as the common bacteria in the populations, where the first three were highly significantly abundant (P?<?0.0001). Moreover, A. hydrophila was the most significantly dominant bacteria (32%; P?<?0.005) among the total populations. Pantoea sp. and Pasteurella pneumotropica were present only in carp and catfish, respectively, but Corynebacterium urealyticum and Micrococcus sp. were present only in pond water.     

High-density growth and crude protein productivity of a thermotolerant Chlorella vulgaris: production kinetics and thermodynamics

Current study investigated the fermentative production of cell mass and crude protein using an axenic culture of the thermotolerant strain of Chlorella vulgaris grown mixotrophically in an illuminated 10-l glass bioreactor. The process was then upscaled to 1,000-l bioreactor. The organism supported maximum specific growth rate, crude protein volumetric productivity, and specific productivity of 1.2?day^?1, 2.26?g?l^?1?day^?1, and 0.76?g?g^?1?day^?1, respectively, with urea as nitrogen source. Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, and entropy values for its formation were 74.3, 56. 2?kJ?mol^?1, and ?59.1?J?mol^?1?K^?1, respectively, in both reactors and corresponded to those of thermotolerant organisms. Algal biomass grown in 10-l bioreactor contained 0.52?±?0.03, 12.6?±?2.0, 60.0?±?4.5, 0.4?±?0.02, 4.5?±?0.2, 12?±?0.5, and 3.81?±?0.5% carotenoids, carbohydrates, crude protein, DNA, RNA, lipids, and total chlorophyll, respectively. Dry biomass supported good growth of fish larvae comparable with that on commercial diet.     

Effects of tank color on the growth,stress responses,and skin color of snakeskin gourami (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Trichogaster pectoralis</Emphasis>)

The effects of tank color on the growth, stress responses, and skin color of snakeskin gourami (Trichogaster pectoralis) were investigated in this study. Fish with initial body weights of 5.03±0.00 g were reared in five experimental tank colors (white, red, green, blue, and black) for 8 weeks. Each tank color was tested in triplicate with an initial stocking density of 15 fish per tank. Fish were fed with commercial sinking pellets at 4% of the average body weight per day. Growth performance, feed utilization efficiency, stress indicators (hematocrit, blood glucose, plasma cortisol levels), and skin color parameters were investigated. The fish reared in blue tanks had a significantly higher average final body weight (9.73?±?0.14 g) and significantly lower average feed conversion ratio (3.42?±?0.12) than the fish reared in black tanks (P?<?0.05). The fish reared in black tanks exhibited higher average hematocrit (36.63?±?1.11%), blood glucose (48.33?±?1.45 mg dL^?1), and plasma cortisol (9.00?±?0.56 μg dL^?1) levels than those reared in the other tank colors. However, the blood glucose levels in only the fish reared in black tanks were significantly higher than those in the fish reared in the other tank colors. The fish skin color ranged from very pale (high skin lightness) in the white tanks to very dark (low skin lightness) in the black tanks, and 80% of the variation in skin lightness were explained by the tank lightness. The use of a blue tank resulted in normal skin color; hence, blue tanks will not affect the customer acceptance of the fish. Our study revealed that blue is the most appropriate tank color for culturing snakeskin gourami.     

Habituation Performance of Two Percids Under Turbid and Clear Water Culture

Advanced walleye (Sander vitreus) and yellow perch (Perca flavescens) fingerlings are produced by habituating pond-reared fingerlings to commercial feed. Success of the habituation phase depends on many variables. Among these, diet contrast/visibility is an important variable for habituation success. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of turbid water (≥100 nephelometric turbidity unit, NTU) and clear water culture conditions during the habituation phase for these two species. In 2005, 12 150 L black-cuboidal tanks with in-tank lighting were stocked at a rate of 2 g/L age 0 of either walleye or yellow perch fingerlings with half of the tanks receiving turbidity (clay slurry) and cultured for 28 d. All fish were fed a commercial diet every 5 min during a 16 h daylight interval at 10%?body weight/d. Walleye in the clear treatment had higher survival (83?±?2.0%) than the turbid treatment (57?±?6.0%). The yellow perch exhibited opposite survival results: turbid treatment rates at 79?±?2.1%?and clear treatment rates at 54?±?9.2%. These results demonstrate that the addition of clay may enhance the contrast of the feed and thus improve the habituation phase for yellow perch.     

Refrigerated storage and cryopreservation of sperm of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus L.

To aid in artificial spawning of sciaenid fishes, the present authors developed techniques to collect, handle and cryopreserve sperm from red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus L. Sperm were collected by removing and slicing the testis, and adding Hanks' balanced salt solution (HBSS) or NaCl solution (each at 200-400 mOsm kg^?1) as an extender. Sperm were activated with 800 mOsm kg^?1 artificial sea water (ASW) to characterize motility. Sperm reached maximum motility (highest percentage motility observed for that sample) within 8 ± 1 s (mean ± SD) and remained at maximum motility for 33 ± 4 s. Sperm were exposed to graded osmotic pressures of ASW (8-800 mOsm kg^?1) to determine the range of osmolalities that elicited motility. Threshold activation (defined as ～10% motility) occurred at 351 ± 4 mOsm kg^?1 and complete activation occurred at 539 ± 2 mOsm kg^?1. Sperm stored at 200 mOsm kg^?1 retained motility for up to 13 days. Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) was used as a cryoprotectant at concentrations ranging from 7.5% to 15% (v:v) in HBSS (200 mOsm kg^?1). There were no significant differences among post-thaw motilities of sperm cryopreserved at any concentration of DMSO. Sperm thawed on the benchtop at 21°C had lower post-thaw motility than did sperm thawed at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60°C in a water bath.     

Combined diet of yeast,fermented soybean meal,and microparticulate as larval feed in extensive rearing systems for seed production of the oriental river prawn <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrobrachium nipponense</Emphasis>

The present study aims to evaluate the effects of several types of larval feed on seed production of the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense and water quality in extensive rearing systems. Healthy M. nipponense were distributed into fifteen 15-m² pond outdoors, and each pond was stocked with 90 prawns including 41 egg-bearing (berried) female prawns, 37 not bearing female prawns, and 12 male prawns for larval production. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four diet groups (diet A: soybean homogenate, diet B: yeast, diet C: yeast?+?fermented soybean meal, and diet D: yeast?+?fermented soybean meal?+?microparticulate diet) and one no feeding control and three replications. There are equal levels of the total protein content in diets A–D. Higher larvae and postlarvae number was obtained for diet C and diet D. Furthermore, the increase of M. nipponense larvae and postlarvae in diets B–D can result in the decrease of zooplankton and increase of phytoplankton in the pond during some periods, simultaneously improving the water quality. The Spearman correlation coefficient (r_M,N) between the amounts of larvae and postlarvae of M. nipponense per pond and zooplankton per pond during the entire experiment period was ??0.56. The highest juvenile M. nipponense production was obtained in the diet D group (3140.00?±?461.63), which was slightly higher than that in the diet C group (2940.33?±?382.60). The juvenile M. nipponense production in diet B (2303.00?±?449.23) was also significantly higher compared to diet A (1106.33?±?176.64) and the control group (1039.67?±?212.85). There were no significant differences in the amounts of juvenile M. nipponense between the control and diet A groups, which indicated that the soybean homogenate could not increase the amount of M. nipponense juveniles. Our results clearly showed that diet D significantly raised per unit yield of prawn seed comparing with no feeding and other diet group in extensive rearing systems and that the cost of producing prawn seed with diet D is low, which provide an important foundation for the expansion of oriental river prawn culture.     

Sperm quality analysis of normal season (NG) and out-season by photoperiod manipulation (PG) of male rainbow trout broodstock (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>)

Sperm quality parameters in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were investigated during normal season spawning (November–January) and out-season spawning (July–August) treated with artificial photoperiod manipulation. Normal spawning males (n?=?15) were kept in an open concrete pond under natural condition. Out-season spawning males (n?=?15) were treated with artificial LED light (50 lm/m²) in a closed concrete pond. In these two experimental groups, five fish were used in each of three spawning periods. The mean weight and body length of males (2?+ years, n?=?30) were 1213.43?±?39.43 g and 45.08?±?0.62 cm, respectively. Sperms were collected from July to August 2016 in the out-season spawning or photoperiod-manipulated group (PG) (water temperature 14.21?±?0.31 °C) and from December 2016 to January 2017, in the normal season spawning group (NG) (water temperature 8.81?±?1.03 °C). Volume of sperm, osmolality of seminal plasma, density of sperm, percentage of motile spermatozoa (MOT), curvilinear velocity (VCL), and duration of motility were measured for each male. Seminal plasma osmolality, density of sperm, and the motility of duration were 358.47?±?37.24 and 308.87?±?44.09, 4.37?±?2.10 and 9.8?±?1.56, and 8.8?±?2.42 and 24.6?±?6.76 in PG and NG, respectively. Fertilization rate was 37.79?±?9.37% and 94.51?±?1.33% in PG and NG, respectively. Sperm quality parameters showed significant differences in most of the cases (p?<?0.05) and fertilization rate at eyed egg stage (150–160 degree-days) was significantly higher in normal season spawning group than the photoperiod-manipulated group (p?<?0.05). Though the rate of fertilization was low in out-season, it was able to get enough gametes in summer using only artificial light having no changes in other parameters.     

Growth and maturation in sterlet <Emphasis Type="Italic">Acipenser ruthenus</Emphasis> under high concentrations of dissolved oxygen

This study investigates the effect of high dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) on sterlet Acipenser ruthenus maturation. Two groups, each comprising 246 individuals of 8-month-old juvenile sterlets, were reared for 37 months under high DO (group H, mean DO of 11.2 mg/L) or normal DO (group C, mean DO of 7.3 mg/L). Significant differences in body weight were observed between group H (638.7?±?191.9 g) and group C (572.2?±?151.9 g) in 12 months (P?<?0.05). Growth until 12 months occurred at a specific growth rate of 0.6%/day for group H and at 0.5%/day for group C. The food conversion rate of groups H and C was 5.2 and 5.8, respectively. The gonadosomatic index of group H was 3.1?±?1.1 for females and 3.1?±?9.7 for males, and showed no significant difference with group C (3.0?±?0.7 for females and 2.8?±?8.9 for males, P?>?0.05) in 24 months. Significant differences in follicle diameter in mature females were also observed. Group H included 68 mature females, with an average follicle diameter of 2318.0?±?175.3 µm, whereas group C included 56 mature females, with a smaller average follicle diameter of 2152.3?±?287.0 µm (P?<?0.001). However, the polarization index in group H (0.194?±?0.049) was higher than that in group C (0.178?±?0.042) (P?<?0.05). These results suggest that, for sterlet, rearing conditions with high DO can affect growth of both the body and follicle diameter of fish compared to normal rearing conditions.     

Enhancement of innate immune system,survival and yield in Penaeus monodon reared in ponds using Streptococcus phocae PI80

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary and water supplementation of probiotic Streptococcus phocae PI80 on growth, immune response and feed utilization of tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon in earthen ponds. The probiotic bacterium S. phocae PI80 was cultured in large fermenter (50 L) by adding additional carbon source in the form of molasses and glucose along with yeast extract as nitrogen source to enrich S. phocae PI80 biomass. This enriched S. phocae PI80 was administered to shrimp in feed (6.5 × 10¹³ bacterial cells mL^?1) as well as in pond water (5 L/pond). Shrimp growth performance was significantly improved (P < 0.05) in 120 days culture when the average body weight of treated molasses + yeast extract (MY) (28.41 ± 0.874 g), glucose + yeast extract (GY) (27.013 ± 0.698 g) was significantly higher than control (23.63 ± 0.684 g). Food conversion ratio FCR was also found to be reduced significantly in ponds treated with probiotics when compared with control pond (1.89 ± 0.09). Vibrio and luminescent bacteria were found to be lower in the treatment receiving MY group, and we hypothesize that this may lead to greater shrimp survival. Furthermore, fermentation product of S. phocae PI80 added to pond water and feed additives enhanced the shrimp immune system. The results indicated that total haemocytes count (THC), phenoloxidase (PO) activity, NBT reductase assay and phagocytic activity significantly increased in shrimps treated with S. phocae PI80. Our study demonstrates that administration of S. phocae PI80 in the water and feed at 6.5 × 10¹³ colony‐forming units (CFU) mL^?1 bacterial cells induce immune modulation and enhances the immune ability of P. monodon in pond‐reared shrimp and increased the shrimp production.     

Assessment of vitamin C different levels in aquaponic system on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and saffron (Crocus sativus): growth performances,hematology, serum biochemistry,and digestive enzyme activity

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of improving the growth and physiological indices of plant and fish by adding different levels of ascorbic acid (vitamin C) to water in the aquaponic system using Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and saffron plant (Crocus sativus). 240# fish (12.5?±?0.21 gr) and 120# saffron corms (2.8?±?0.12 gr) were randomly assigned to 15 experimental units and underwent treatments of adding 0 (control), 2, 4, 6, and 8 mg L^?1 ascorbic acid to water, every 6 days, for 8 weeks. The fish final weight and subsequently other growth performance indices increased in the treatment of 4 mg L^?1 vitamin C compared to other treatments (P?≤?0.05). Some growth performances of saffron plants such as saffron production, in treatment of 6 mg L^?1, were significantly higher than the control group and reached from 17.34?±?0.27 mg flower^?1 in the control group to 25.4?±?1.61 mg flower^?1 in treatment of 6 mg L^?1. Measuring the serum biochemical parameters of the fish showed that, in the treatment of 8 mg/L ascorbic acid, the cortisol content in the blood reached its maximum (21.49?±?2.42 µg dL^?1). The trypsin activity in proximal intestine and mid-intestine significantly increased in treatments of 2, 4, and 6 mg L^?1, respectively. The current experiment showed that, by adding 4–6 mg/L ascorbic acid to the aquaponic system water (every 6 days), the optimal levels of Nile tilapia and saffron plant growth performances would occur.

     

Growth performance of the white shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei,fed on practical diets with increasing levels of the Antarctic krill meal,Euphausia superba,reared in clear‐ versus green‐water culture tanks

Litopenaeus vannamei were stocked in 25 clear‐water 500‐L tanks at 100 shrimp m^?2 and in 25 green‐water 1000‐L tanks at 60 animals m^?2. Four diets were formulated to include krill meal at 10, 50 or 110 g kg^?1; or krill oil at 25 g kg^?1 by replacing fish meal, fish oil, soybean lecithin and cholesterol. Diets had similar levels of crude protein, total energy and essential amino acids. After 72 days, shrimp reared in clear and green water showed no differences in performance among diets. In clear water, shrimp attained 13.1 ± 0.59 g body weight, 1.00 ± 0.06 g week^?1 growth, 81.4 ± 7.3% survival, 780 ± 118 g m^?2 yield, 16.9 ± 1.8 g shrimp^?1 apparent feed intake (AFI), and 2.18 ± 0.29 food conversion ratio (FCR). In green water, shrimp attained 14.3 ± 0.81 g body weight, 1.04 ± 0.09 g week^?1 growth, 91.4 ± 5.4% survival, 569 ± 69 g m^?2 yield, 20.9 ± 3.2 g shrimp^?1 AFI, and 2.22 ± 0.34 FCR. Diets containing krill meal or krill oil were able to fully replace the protein and lipid value of fish meal, fish oil, soybean lecithin and cholesterol at no cost to performance.     

Protective role of antifreeze proteins on sterlet (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Acipenser ruthenus</Emphasis>) sperm during cryopreservation

The loss of sperm quality in sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus) due to freeze-thaw process in cryopreservation was investigated in the present study. Two antifreeze proteins (AFPI or AFPIII) were used at different concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/mL. We compared motility, curvilinear velocity, and plasma membrane integrity of fresh, cryopreserved sperm, and sperm cryopreserved in the presence of antifreeze proteins. Fresh sperm (control) had 85?±?4% motility and 160?±?2 μm/s curvilinear velocity, respectively. After cryopreservation, the motility of frozen-thawed sperm without addition of antifreeze proteins significantly decreased (44?±?9%), compared to the control. The highest motility of frozen-thawed sperm was obtained in cryopreserved sperm with addition of 1 μg/mL of AFPIII (58?±?14%). No significant differences were observed in curvilinear velocity between fresh sperm and cryopreserved sperm with/without addition of AFPI or AFPIII. The flow cytometry analysis revealed that fresh sperm contained 94.5?±?6% live cells, while the cryopreserved sperm only contained 26.6?±?14% live cells. Supplementation of antifreeze proteins has significantly improved the percentage of live cells in frozen-thawed sperm, except 0.1 μg/ml of AFPI group. No significant difference in percentage of live cells was detected in the sperm cryopreserved with 10 μg/mL of AFPI or AFPIII, compared to fresh sperm. Thus, addition of antifreeze proteins to cryopreservation medium could be considered to improve the post-thawed sperm quality of sterlet.     

Wheat grains fermented by fungal mycelia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Pleurotus ostreatus</Emphasis> or <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lentinus edodes</Emphasis>) as alternative feed ingredients for juvenile rainbow trout (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis>)

We investigated the effects of replacing non-fermented wheat grains with wheat grains fermented by fungal mycelia in the diet of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We assessed growth performance, feeding parameters, and body composition in three experimental groups (0.33?±?0.01 g, in triplicates of 50 individuals each). The diets for all the groups contained ca. 43% protein and 19% lipids. Experimental diets were made by replacing the 100 g kg^?1 of wheat grains present in the basal diet (CTRL) with the same proportion of wheat grains fermented by Pleurotus ostreatus (PWD) or Lentinus edodes (LWD) mycelium. Fish were fed to apparent satiation twice a day for 56 days. Both, PWD and LWD, significantly increased fish body weight from day 28 onwards. Final body weight was 2.37?±?0.04 g (CTRL), 4.29?±?0.02 g (PWD), and 3.50?±?0.05 g (LWD), and feeding efficiency (%) was increased from 64.5?±?0.7 (CTRL) to 92.5?±?0.5 (PWD) and 84.8?±?1.5 (LWD). The experimental diets also improved nutrient retention efficiency (%): 30.0?±?0.5 (PWD), 27.7?±?1.1 (LWD), and 21.0?±?0.1 (CTRL), for crude protein; 40.3?±?0.6 (PWD), 31.0?±?1.8 (LWD), and 16.1?±?0.7 (CTRL), for ether extract; and 16.1?±?0.1 (PWD), 14.0?±?0.3 (LWD), and 11.6?±?0.6 (CTRL), for phosphorus. Body lipid content was highest for PWD followed by LWD and CTRL (81.4?±?1.4, 63.2?±?2.5, 42.3?±?2.6 g kg^?1, respectively), while viscerosomatic index was lowest for PWD (p?<?0.05). Liver glycogen in LWD and PWD fish (0.62?±?0.10 and 0.21?±?0.08% liver weight) was significantly higher than in CTRL fish (0.05?±?0.01% liver weight). Wheat-mycelium meals appear to be suitable dietary ingredients for improving juvenile rainbow trout growth and nutritional performance. These benefits vary according to the mushroom species used.     

Changes of sperm morphology,volume, density,and motility parameters in northern pike during the spawning period

Sexually mature males (BW?=?1600?±?150 g and TL?=?235?±?30 mm) of northern pike (Esox lucius L.) were randomly selected from a pond to record changes in their sperm quality parameters (spermatozoa morphology, sperm volume, density, and motility parameters) during the spawning season. The morphological and motility parameters changed significantly during the reproductive season with following trends. Only, head width was not changed during the spawning season. The longest spermatozoa and its flagellar length were found at the middle of spawning period (TL?=?38.24?±?0.37 μm and 35.14?±?0.26 μm) and shortest at the beginning of spawning period (TL?=?34.81?±?0.29 μm and 32.53?±?0.18 μm). Other morphological characters were always the lowest at the beginning of spawning period. Sperm volume was changed from 0.33?±?0.3 ml in February, 0.43?±?0.2 ml in March to 0.24?±?0.1 ml in April, and density from 16.2?±?0.2?×?109 spermatozoa ml^?1 in February, 19.4?±?0.2?×?109 spermatozoa ml^?1 in March to 4.8?±?0.2?×?109 spermatozoa ml^?1 in April. Same sperm velocity was observed in all spawning terms at 10 and 20 s after activation. Higher velocity was found at 30 and 40 s after activation in sperm collected at the middle and the end of spawning period. Significantly, higher percentage of motile sperm was observed at 20, 30, and 40 s after activation in sperm sampled at the end of spawning period. This study supports the hypothesis that longer spermatozoa swim faster.     

Growth,hematological and biochemical indices of common carp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cyprinus carpio</Emphasis> fed diets containing corn gluten meal

The effects of replacing fish meal (FM) with corn gluten meal (CGM) on growth and physiological performance were evaluated in common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Six experimental diets were formulated by substituting 0 (control), 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100% CGM protein for FM protein. The concentrations of dietary protein in the experimental diets were 27.8–29% and the P:E ratios were 14.7–15.46 mg/kJ. Eighteen fish with an initial weight of 13.5?±?0.1 g were allocated to each of 18 circular tanks (450 L) to give triplicate groups for each dietary treatment. The fish were fed to satiation for 8 weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, growth indices, body proximate composition, and hematological and biochemical parameters were measured. Blood samples were taken from six fish in each tank. Final weight and total length were significantly higher in fish fed 100% CGM (27.8?±?1.2 g and 11.9?±?0.3 cm) than for those fed the control (22.7?±?1.4 g and 10.9?±?0.5 cm) or 20% CGM (22.3?±?1.2 g and 11?±?0.4 cm) diets. No effect of FM replacement by CGM was observed for condition factor or hepatosomatic index (P?>?0.05). The highest value of protein productive value (14.31?±?0.65) was observed in fish fed 20% CGM (P?<?0.05). There were no significant differences in percentage body moisture and fat, but percentages of protein and ash were significantly different among experimental groups; the highest values of protein (15.6?±?0.24%) and ash (3.01?±?0.26%) were recorded in fish fed 40% CGM. For hematological parameters, the highest number of white blood cells (4.1?±?0.1?×?10³ mm^?3) was observed in fish fed 100% CGM (P?<?0.05). In addition, the highest hematocrit (42.1?±?0.7%) and triglyceride (294.11?±?23.82 mg dl^?1) were seen in fish fed the diet containing 40% CGM, while 80% CGM gave the highest cholesterol level (204.44?±?9.0 mg dl^?1; P?<?0.05). Replacement of FM with CGM had no negative effects on growth and physiological parameters of common carp fingerlings in this short (8 weeks) trial, suggesting that it may be feasible to replace FM with CGM in diets formulated for juvenile common carp.     

Effects of dietary arginine levels on growth, feed conversion, protein productive value and carcass composition of stinging catfish fingerling Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

A 12-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of varying levels of dietary arginine on growth, feed conversion, protein productive value and carcass composition of fingerling Heteropneustes fossilis (10.11?±?0.14?cm; 5.87?±?0.07?g). Casein and gelatin-based isonitrogenous (38% crude protein) and isocaloric (14.72 kJ?g^?1 digestible energy) amino acid test diets with varying levels of l-arginine (1.00, 1.25, 1.50, 1.75, 2.00 and 2.25?g 100?g^?1 of dry diet) were fed to randomly assigned triplicate groups of fish to apparent satiation twice daily at two feeding schedules (08.00 and 17.30?h). Thermal growth coefficient (TGC; 0.86), feed conversion ratio (FCR; 1.97) and protein productive value (PPV; 0.25) were best attained by the group fed diet containing 1.75?g arginine 100?g^?1 of dry diet (D4). Carcass protein content also peaked at the above level of dietary arginine whereas carcass lipid showed consistent drop with the increase in dietary arginine level up to 1.75?g 100?g^?1 of dry diet. Second-degree polynomial regression analysis at 95% maximum and minimum response of thermal growth coefficient, feed conversion, protein productive value, carcass protein and lipid productive value against varying levels of dietary arginine yielded that dietary arginine in the range of 1.51–1.66?g 100?g^?1 of dry diet, corresponding to 3.97–4.37?g 100?g^?1 protein is adequate to optimize growth, feed conversion, protein productive value and improve carcass quality in fingerling H. fossilis.     

Correlation of in situ respiration rates and microbial biomass in prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) ponds

Microbial biomass estimates (based on ATP concentrations) were highly correlated with water and sediment respiration rates in freshwater prawn ponds. Water column biomass-specific respiration rates (x ± 1 SD, 572.4 ± 410.6 μl O₂ μg ATP^?1 day^?1) were higher than sediment rates (11.5 ± 8.1 μl O₂ μg ATP^?1 day^?1). Phytoplankton cells dominated the seston, with nutrient-saturated, light-limited growth in the range 75–80%μ_max. Doubling times of phytoplankton ranged from 0.4–19 days. Measurement of benthic ATP biomass is recommended as a diagnostic water quality parameter for commercial freshwater prawn culture.