Short-term salinity tolerance of northern pike, Esox lucius, fry, related to temperature and size

Abstract  The short-term tolerances of northern pike, Esox lucius L., fry reared in a freshwater hatchery, to salinity were examined in the laboratory. Survival of two size groups of pike fry (mean length 21 ± 2 mm SD and 37 ± 4 mm SD) was examined over 72- to 96-h periods at 9–14 ppt salinity in combination with temperatures of 10, 14 and 18 °C. A parametric survival model found a significant correlation between survival of pike fry and temperature and salinity, respectively. L _C50 values after 72 h were between 11.2 and 12.2 ppt, being lowest at 10 °C. Pike fry did not survive more than 13 ppt. Mortality at 12 ppt was significantly faster at 18 °C than 10 or 14 °C. Moreover, mortality was higher and faster for large than for small pike fry at 12 ppt and 14 °C. These results imply that pike raised in fresh water can survive stocking into brackish waters below 11 ppt at least for a short time.     

Effects of temperature on hatchability, development and growth of eggs and yolksac fry of Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters) under artificial incubation

Abstract. The eggs and yolk sac fry of the mouth brooding tilapia. Oreochromis mossambicus (Peters), were artificially reared in an experimental hatchery system at different temperatures. The hatchability, embryonic development of eggs and growth of yolk sac fry were studied under controlled conditions. It was shown that the upper lethal temperature for O. mossambicus eggs was above 40°C and the lower lethal temperature between 11°C and 17°C. For yolk sac fry these values lay between 34 and 40°C and 17 and 20°C respectively. Fry survival between 24·3 and 34·0°C was near to 100% while al 20°C it was less than 60%. The somatic growth rates of fry at temperature between 20 and 34·5°C up to 10 days post hatch are presented and were found to differ significantly. At 34·6°C a negative SGR was recorded during the period 6–9 days post hatching, but, during the first 6 days, the SGR at this temperature was more than four times higher than at 20°C. At the elevated temperatures, the utilization of yolk is faster and the loss of weight observed was due to starvation. This should be taken into account when incubating under artificial rearing condition so that initiation of exogenous feeding is timed most appropriately.     

Effects of temperature on disease progression and swimming stamina in Ichthyophonus-infected rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , were infected with Ichthyophonus sp. and held at 10 °C, 15 °C and 20 °C for 28 days to monitor mortality and disease progression. Infected fish demonstrated more rapid onset of disease, higher parasite load, more severe host tissue reaction and reduced mean-day-to-death at higher temperature. In a second experiment, Ichthyophonus -infected fish were reared at 15 °C for 16 weeks then subjected to forced swimming at 10 °C, 15 °C and 20 °C. Stamina improved significantly with increased temperature in uninfected fish; however, this was not observed for infected fish. The difference in performance between infected and uninfected fish became significant at 15 °C ( P  =   0.02) and highly significant at 20 °C ( P  =   0.005). These results have implications for changes in the ecology of fish diseases in the face of global warming and demonstrate the effects of higher temperature on the progression and severity of ichthyophoniasis as well as on swimming stamina, a critical fitness trait of salmonids. This study helps explain field observations showing the recent emergence of clinical ichthyophoniasis in Yukon River Chinook salmon later in their spawning migration when water temperatures were high, as well as the apparent failure of a substantial percentage of infected fish to successfully reach their natal spawning areas.     

Induced breeding and larval rearing of the endangered Australian freshwater fish trout cod, Maccullochella macquariensis (Cuvier) (Percichthyidae)

Abstract. The endangered Australian freshwater fish trout cod, Maccullochella macquariensis (Cuvier), was the subject of a captive breeding programme to produce fry for reintroduction into the wild. Trout cod broodfish were maintained in earthen ponds for up to 5 years and underwent gonadal maturation each spring but did not spawn in the ponds. Infestations of the protozoan parasite Chilodonella hexasticha caused the death of at least 21 broodfish. Mature fish, removed from ponds when water temperatures had reached or exceeded 16°C, had a higher proportion of atretic oocytes and fewer fish spawned successfully compared to fish removed at lower temperatures. Ovulation was induced by a single injection of 1000–3000 iu/kg HCG. Between 1188 and 11338 eggs ranging from 2·5 to 3·6 mm in diameter were stripped from individual fish. Hatching commenced on days 5–9 and continued for up to 10 days (at 15·5–23°C). Larvae commenced feeding on days 21–25. Trout cod larvae were grown out to fry (363.3–48.6mm total length [TL]) in fertilized fry rearing ponds then released. Between 1986 and 1989, 8420 trout cod fry were released into several sites in the upper Murray River and upper Murrumbidgee River, and reports indicate that released fish are surviving.     

Effects of temperature and salinity on the course of infection with the haemoflagellate Cryptobia salmositica in juvenile Pacific salmon, Oncorhynchus spp.

Abstract. At 9°C juvenile sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka , inoculated intraperitoneally with 10⁵ Cryptobia (= Trypanoplasma ) salmositica began to succumb about day 15, with mortalities exceeding 90% by day 28. Fish inoculated at 8°C and acclimatized to 13°C began to die at about the same time but total mortalities were only about 75%. At 5°C the infection progressed more slowly, with the first mortalities occurring about day 25, but the disease seemed equally as lethal as at 9°C. All fish inoculated at 8°C and acclimatized to 20°C within 11 days survived the infection. Changes in salinity from fresh to sea water (30%o salinity) at 9°C or 13°C had almost no effect on the course of infection either when presmolts were slowly acclimatized to sea water over a period of 6-8 days or when smolts were transferred to sea water quickly (within 1-2 days). However, there were differences in susceptibility to disease among three species of salmon of smoking age. The order of decreasing sensitivity was chinook salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha , with 100% mortality, sockeye salmon with 56 to 74% mortality and coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch , with no mortality.     

Out-of-season spawning of pike perch (Sander lucioperca L.) without the need for hormonal treatments

The provision of fry and fingerlings, independent of the natural spawning season, can facilitate the implementation of innovative rearing strategies also in pike perch ( Sander lucioperca L.). As strict pharmaceutical acts or codes of conduct for organic aquaculture can constrain fish farmers in inducing spawning with hormonal applications, this study intended to develop protocols for advanced and postponed spawning just by simple photo-thermal treatments. After spending between 31 and 61 days at temperatures below 10 °C, different groups of pike perch spawners were treated with light and temperature programmes to advance spawning. Reproduction could be induced successfully 2 months before the natural spawning season when the mating pairs spent 43 or more days below 10 °C, followed by a maturation phase of 44–68 days at 15 °C and 16 h illumination per day. Advanced spawning could be documented for 32 out of 35 females (91%) that underwent photo-thermal treatments. Mean commercial fecundities up to 24% and average rates of developing eggs of 65% were observed in advanced spawning groups. Coldbanking of mature females allowed to postpone spawnings for 2 and 3 months. However, no egg development could be recorded in these treatment groups.     

Observations on the development of Bunodera luciopercae (Müller, 1776) (Trematoda: Allocreadiidae) under field and laboratory conditions

Abstract. The intramolluscan development of Bunodera luciopercae was studied in laboratory infected pisidia maintained at three thermal regimes and compared with the seasonal development within a population of naturally infected first intermediate hosts at Llyn Tegid, Wales. At 4–8°C B. luciopercae did not develop beyond the sporocyst stage, although the development at 16–21°C W e s similar to that reported by previous workers. The early stages of the intramolluscan development of B. luciopercae at Llyn Tegid were similar to the observed development at 16–21°C. However, the results suggest that falling autumn-winter temperatures may initiate the production of immature cercariae within first generation rediae. Cercariae matured and were shed at Llyn Tegid during a short period between March and May. Live, juvenile B. luciopercae were artificially transferred from recently killed perch Perca fluviatilis , gill netted from Llyn Tegid, into live uninfected, laboratory maintained perch. The effect of temperature on the development of B. luciopercae in its definitive host was investigated at four thermal regimes. At 16–20°C development did not proceed normally and the infection had disappeared after 130 days. At 4–8°C and at natural environmental temperatures, gravid flukes were produced after 158–168 days. An increase in temperature on infected fish maintained at 4–8°C for 43 days did not stimulate parasite maturation. It is suggested that B. luciopercae may require an extended period of vernalization to elicit maturation in its definitive host and that temperature has a major influence on the life history of this parasite.     

Effect of stocking density on growth and survival of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) fry in the hatchery

Abstract. The effect of stocking density on growth and survival of Oreochromis niloticus (L.) fry was evaluated. O. niloticus fry (average weight, 10·56 ± 0·28mg and average length. 9·09 ± 0·05nim) were stocked in 2–1 tanks at 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20 fry/1 and reared for 33 days post fertilization, at 30°C (±1°C). Mean lengths, mean weights, and specific growth rates were found to be significantly lower ( P < 0·05) at the higher stocking densities. The coefficient of variation for the five stocking densities was significantly ( P < 0·05) different. Condition factors, however, were not significantly ( P < 0·05) different and survival was high at all density treatments. These data suggest that the culture of O. niloticus is feasible at the density groups tested but 5–10fry/I is recommended for fry culture in the hatchery, if a more uniform size is desired.     

An experimental study of the susceptibility of Atlantic salmon fry, Salmo salar L., to viral haemorrhagic septicaemia

Abstract. Infection trials using two serotypes of VHS viruses (type 1 and 23/75) demonstrated that Atlantic salmon fry were susceptible to the disease when injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 10³ pfu of virus/fish but resistant to infection by a bath method when exposed for 3 h in water containing 5 × 10⁴ pfu of virus/ml. In the i.p.-infected fish, mortality reached 78 and 67% within 13 days with VHSV₁ nad 23/75 serotypes, respectively. High virus yields were recovered from infected fish and virus shedding was demonstrated by the onset of VHS in rainbow trout kept in the outflow water from the aquaria containing infected salmon. Neither mortality nor virus shedding occurred in salmon infected by the water route but virus multiplication was demonstrated in 2 of 60 fish with VHSV₁ and 3 of 60 fish with virus 23/75. On day 79 post-infection the sera from surviving salmon of both i.p. and bath infection trials exhibited good neutralizing titres (around 1000) against the homologous viruses.     

Induced resistance in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum), to gill disease associated with the microsporidian gill parasite Loma salmonae

Branchial xenomas were detected by week 5 and disappeared by week 10 after naive juvenile rainbow trout, held at 14.5 °C, were fed or intubated with Loma salmonae ‐infected gill tissue preparations. Upon re‐challenge with L. salmonae , these fish were protected from disease and branchial xenomas did not develop. Branchial xenomas were never detected in naive fish held at 10 °C and exposed to L. salmonae . When these fish were re‐challenged with L. salmonae at 14.5 °C, they were also protected from the disease. Branchial xenomas also developed after naive fish, held at 14.5 °C, were injected intraperitoneally with a semipurified preparation of fresh spores, but generally did not develop after intraperitoneal injection with a preparation of spores subjected to freezing and thawing before use. Fish that had received fresh spores intraperitoneally were completely resistant to disease when re‐challenged via oral delivery of spores, whereas those that had received frozen spores were incompletely, but significantly, protected from disease compared with naive fish. We conclude that infection with L. salmonae induces strong protection towards the disease upon re‐exposure to spores, and that the protection does not depend on the completion of the parasite's life cycle, thus establishing the basis for further research on vaccine development for this disease.     

Thermal tolerance of a rainbow trout <Emphasis Type="Italic">Oncorhynchus mykiss</Emphasis> strain selected by high-temperature breeding

ABSTRACT:   Thermal tolerance was studied in a rainbow trout strain successively selected through high temperature breeding at 20–27°C since 1966 in Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan. The hatching rate and fry mortality at high temperatures were examined in the selected strain along with normal strains cultured at water temperature of 9–17°C. The hatching rate of embryos fertilized at either 10 or 14°C and subsequently subjected to high temperatures in the blastula or neurula stage of the selected strain, was marginally higher than that of the normal strain counterparts. The upper 50% lethal temperatures (LT₅₀) for embryos in the early segmentation, blastula and neurula stages of the selected strain were also higher than those of the normal strain counterparts. Death temperatures and LT₅₀ of fries acclimated to 20°C of the selected strain were significantly higher than those of the normal strains. However, no difference in the critical thermal maximum was detected between the different strains. These results suggest that the selected strain of rainbow trout established by selecting successively for many generations at high temperatures acquired a degree of thermal tolerance.     

Experimental transmission of encephalopathy and retinopathy induced by nodavirus to sea bream, Sparus aurata L., using different infection models

The transmission of viral encephalopathy and retinopathy (VER) was investigated in juvenile sea bream, Sparus aurata L. Two different infection routes [intraperitoneal (i.p.) and intramuscular injection (i.m.)] were tested at two different temperatures (20 and 26 °C) using sea bream of mean weight 0.7, 2 and 4 g, as well as an immersion challenge performed at 26 °C with sea bream of 0.7 g. Successful transmission of the disease was only achieved by i.m. injection. Mortalities of 100% occurred in sea bream of 0.7 g at day 15 post-infection and 47% in sea bream of both 2 and 4 g at day 30 post-infection in all the experimental infections at 26 °C. No mortalities were ever observed with infections at 20 °C. When mortalities were observed, the virus was detected by immunoperoxidase staining in the SSN-1 cell line inoculated with tissues from infected fish. Histological examination of both normal and infected fish showed a vacuolization in the bipolar and granular layers of the retina of the infected sea bream. This is the first experimentally induced transmission of VER in sea bream. Differences were observed at the time of disease onset depending on water temperature, the route of infection and the age of the juvenile fish.     

Impact of a pathogenic haemoflagellate, Cryptobia salmositica Katz, on the metabolism and swimming performance of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss (Walbaum)

Abstract. Oxygen consumption of juvenile rainbow trout (5 g at 13°C) at moderate swimming speeds did not change significantly when infected with Cryptobia salmositica. However, significant reductions of as much as 44% of the maximum aerobic scope for activity and 24% of the critical swimming speed were observed when the parasitaemia reached a maximum of 57.6 × 10⁶ ml⁻¹ fish blood at 3 weeks post- infection. Blood haematocrit was significantly reduced from the initial 34.1 to 19.7% at 4 weeks post- infection, probably as a result of haemolysis by the parasite. The destruction of red blood cells clearly led to lower oxygen carrying capacity, and reduced respiratory and swimming performance.     

Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis virus (CyHV-2) infection: case studies from commercial goldfish farms

Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis is a disease of goldfish, Carassius auratus , caused by Cyprinid herpesvirus-2 (CyHV-2) infection. Quantitative PCR was carried out on tissue homogenates from healthy goldfish fingerlings, broodfish, eggs and fry directly sampled from commercial farms, from moribund fish submitted to our laboratory for disease diagnosis, and on naturally-infected CyHV-2 carriers subjected to experimental stress treatments. Healthy fish from 14 of 18 farms were positive with copy numbers ranging from tens to 10⁷ copies μg⁻¹ DNA extracted from infected fish. Of 118 pools of broodfish tested, 42 were positive. The CyHV-2 was detected in one lot of fry produced from disinfected eggs. Testing of moribund goldfish, in which we could not detect any other pathogens, produced 12 of 30 cases with 10⁶–10⁸ copies of CyHV-2 μg⁻¹ DNA extracted. Subjecting healthy CyHV-2 carriers to cold shock (22–10 °C) but not heat, ammonia or high pH, increased viral copy numbers from mean copy number (±SE) of 7.3 ± 11 to 394 ± 55 μg⁻¹ DNA extracted after 24 h. CyHV-2 is widespread on commercial goldfish farms and outbreaks apparently occur when healthy carriers are subjected to a sharp temperature drop followed by holding at the permissive temperature for the disease.     

Studies on cryptocaryoniasis in marine fish: effect of temperature and salinity on the reproductive cycle of Cryptocaryon irritans Brown, 1951

Abstract. Trophonts of Cryptocaryon irritans Brown from infected three-spot damselfish, Dascyllus trimaculatus Ruppell, were kept at temperatures ranging from 7 to 37°C to observe encystment and development of the tomites. At 30, 25 and 20°C, the percentage of trophonts that had encysted in 16 h were 70, 77 and 64% respectively; at 37°C, 44% encysted and at 7°C only 10% had encysted.
The optimum temperature for excystment was 30°C; 50% excysted in 5 days and 100% in 7 days. At 25°C, 60% of the tomites started to excyst on the eighth day, and 70% on the ninth day. At 20°C, 10% started to excyst on the ninth day, reaching 40% on the tenth day. No excystment occurred at 37 and 7°C.
Newly encysted tomonts were placed in various dilutions of sea water (31 %₀) and kept at temperatures ranging from 7 to 37°C. Low salinities, i.e. 16%₀ and lower caused tomonts to rupture. At 37, 20 and 7°C, 35% of the tomonts started to rupture immediately in 50% sea water, while at 30 and 25 C, 30% of the tomonts ruptured in 25% seawater. However, none of the cysts developed normally at these dilutions. The percentage rupturing increased with decreasing salinity.     

Herpesvirus cyprini: lethality and oncogenicity

Abstract. Cyprinid herpesvirus 1 (CHV) or Herpesvirus cyprini was virulent for carp, Cyprinus carpio L., fry following 1 h immersion in water at 20 °C. Cumulative mortality for carp fry was 86–97% in 2-week-old common carp, 20% in 4-week-old fancy carp, and 0% in both 8-week-old common and fancy carp. The virus did not produce mortality in fry of crucian carp, grass carp or other cyprinids. It was also oncogenic in carp, inducing papillomas to the extent of 55% among both common and fancy carp fry. The neoplasms appeared 5–6 months after carp had been exposed to the virus by immersion and recurred at an incidence of 83% in carp 7·5 months post-desquamation of the tumour. The CHV was reisolated from all moribund fish and from all survivors. It also induced papillomas at an incidence of 13% in adult mirror carp and at 10% in adult fancy carp 5 months after intraperitoneal inoculation of 10⁵ TCID₅₀ ml^-1 fish. The virus was rcisolated only from the ncoplastic tissue and not from internal organs. The neoplasms were normally located on fin, skin or mandible, at the intraperitoneal inoculation site. Specific fluorescence for CHV antigen was frequently detected in the gills, liver, kidneys and intestine of 2-week-old fry from 3 to 21 days following challenge with CHV. It was found in greater concentrations in experimentally induced papillomata on 2-week-old carp fry survivors examined 24 weeks after challenge than in naturally occurring neoplasms.     

Experimental Infection of Rainbow Trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss,and Hybrid Striped Bass,Morone chrysops ♂ × Morone saxatilis ♀, with Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Genotype IVb

The emergence of a new sublineage of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) within the Laurentian Great Lakes has caused concern for aquaculture in the United States. Because of the occurrence of VHSV in a new geographic location, new host species have been identified and the complete host range has not been determined. This study confirmed the high resistance of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, to VHSV type IVb infection. In addition, the experimental susceptibility of hybrid striped bass, Morone chrysops ♂ × Morone saxatilis ♀, to VHSV type IVb infection was examined but determined to be highly dependent on age of fish and exposure temperature. No mortality was observed in adult fish infected via intraperitoneal (IP) injection at 15 C, whereas yearling fish infected via IP injection under the same conditions experienced 20.8% mortality. Among yearling fish infected via IP injection, mortality increased to 100% when exposure to VHSV occurred at 10 C. An LD₅₀ for yearling hybrid striped bass exposed to VHSV at 10 C by IP injection was determined to be 1.4 × 10⁴ pfu (SE = 2.1). Thus, at 10 C, yearling hybrid striped bass experience a high mortality when exposed to VHSV IVb by IP injection.     

Susceptibility of selected freshwater fish species to a UK Lactococcus garvieae isolate

Gram-positive cocci recovered from diseased rainbow trout from a farm in England were characterized by different methods, including pulsed field gel electrophoresis, as virulent Lactococcus garvieae serogroup 2 (pulsotype A1). Groups of rainbow trout were kept at a range of temperatures and injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with one of the UK isolates, L. garvieae 00021. The 18 °C and 16 °C groups showed 67% and 28% mortality, respectively, by day 27 post-injection. Fish kept at 14 °C or lower were less susceptible (≤3% mortality). Raising the temperature of all groups to 18 °C at day 27 post-injection did not result in recurrence of the disease, even though viable bacteria were recovered from all groups 42 days later. Grayling were highly susceptible, with 65% mortalities when challenged with 200 colony forming unit fish⁻¹ by i.p. injection and 37% mortalities when exposed to effluent water from tanks containing affected rainbow trout. Other fish species tested, Atlantic salmon, brown trout and seven cyprinid species, were less susceptible. Viable L. garvieae was isolated from the internal organs of all species tested at the end of the trials, suggesting that they may pose a threat as possible carriers to susceptible farmed and wild fish.     

Lymphocystis disease virus persists in the epidermal tissues of olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminch & Schlegel), at low temperatures

Olive flounder artificially infected with lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) were reared at 10, 20 and 30 °C for 60 days, to compare LCD-incidence. In the fish reared at 20 °C, lymphocystis cells appeared on the skin and fins at 35 days post-challenge, and the cumulative LCD-incidence was 80% at 60 days. High levels of LCDV, with a mean polymerase chain reaction (PCR) titre of 10⁶ PCR-U mg⁻¹ tissue, were detected in the fins and skin of LCD-affected fish at 20 °C, but were not detected in the spleen, kidney, brain and intestinal tissues of these fish. No LCD clinical signs were observed in the fish reared at 10 °C and 30 °C; however, a low level of LCDV (10³ PCR-U mg⁻¹ tissue) was detected in the fins and skin of these fish. By increasing the rearing temperature from 10 to 20 °C, lymphocystis clusters appeared on the skin and fins of the fish with no previous LCD clinical signs within 33 days after the temperature change. It was shown that permissive cells for LCDV infection exist in the epidermis of olive flounder. At low temperatures, small amounts of LCDV were able to persist over a period extended for a further 45 days in the fish epidermis, even though the fish showed no LCD clinical signs. The optimum growth temperature of LCDV is near 20 °C.     

Prevalence and pathogenicity of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) associated with feral lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum)

Abstract. A study was undertaken in 1987 to determine the prevalence of infectious panercatic necrosis virus (1PNV) infection in the lake trout population of Cornwall Lake. Alberta, Canada, and its pathogenicity to cultivable salmonid fish. Virological examination indicated that 44.4% of the adult lake trout in the lake, which is situated in a remote northern region of Alberta, were infected with the virus, mainly in the pyloric caeca and intestine. Virus was not detected in kidney, leucocytes, liver or gonads. In experimental immersion infection of brook trout fry, the virus caused a cumulative mortality of up to 74% in 30 days, beginning at 10 days post-infection. Pyloric caeca, intestine and to some extent gills were found to be early sites of viral replication. The virus was less pathogenic to rainbow trout causing a cumulative mortality of 10% and the survivors were IPNV carriers for at least 3 months. The virus did not cause mortality in young lake trout, the natural host, but the infected fish carried the virus during the experimental period of 30 days.