High-energy diets for white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus Richardson

Four diets formulated for salmon were fed to 0.11 kg white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus Richardson, for 8 weeks. Dietary compositions ranged from 258 to 402 g lipid kg⁻¹, 535–378 g protein kg⁻¹ and 22.7–14.4 g protein MJ⁻¹ gross energy.
Fish in all treatments grew rapidly, utilized the diets efficiently and had body compositions similar to what has been found in previous studies, but there were some dietary effects. Sturgeon fed the diet with the highest lipid content and lowest protein/energy ratio had lower ( P < 0.05) specific growth rate, feed efficiency, and liver moisture and protein contents, and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity, but higher liver lipid contents than fish fed the other three diets. Condition factor, organ to body weight ratios, whole-body and plasma concentrations of protein, glucose and triglyceride, and liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and malic enzyme activities did not differ significantly among dietary treatments. This suggests that white sturgeon subyearlings can utilize diets with high lipid contents (258–357 g kg⁻¹) to display good growth without major adverse effects on body composition and liver lipogenic enzyme activities.     

Morpho-physiological predictors of ovulatory success in white sturgeon,Acipenser transmontanus Richardson

Body length, oocyte diameter, germinal vesicle position, in vitro oocyte maturation response to progesterone, and plasma concentrations of progesterone, cortocosteroids, and 17α,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17α,20β-diOHP) were examined in white sturgeon females prior to their spawning induction and correlated with their subsequent ovulatory response. The relationship between broodfish size and ovulatory success was insignificant. Responsive females had larger oocytes and elevated plasma concentrations of corticosteroids and 17α,20β-diOHP, but did not differ significantly from nonresponsive females in progesterone concentrations. Germinal vesicle position and in vitro oocyte maturation response exhibited the closest relationships with ovulation, and can be used as practical predictors of ovulation for hormonally induced spawning of white sturgeon.     

Confirmation of ovarian homogeneity in post-vitellogenic cultured white sturgeon,Acipenser transmontanus

Assessing stage of oocyte maturity in female sturgeon by calculating oocyte polarization index (PI) is a necessary tool for both conservation propagation managers and caviar producers to know when to hormonally induce spawning. We tested the assumption that sampling ovarian follicles from one section of one ovary is sufficient for calculating an oocyte PI representative of oocyte maturity for an individual animal. Short-wavelength near-infrared spectroscopy (SW-NIR) scans were performed on three positions per ovary for five fish prior to caviar harvest. Samples of ovarian follicles were subsequently taken from the exact location of the SW-NIR scans for calculation of oocyte PI and follicle diameter. Oocyte PI was statistically different though not biologically relevant within an ovary and between ovaries in four of five fish. Follicle diameter was statistically different but not biologically relevant within an ovary in three of five fish. There were no differences in follicle diameter between ovaries. No statistical differences were observed between SW-NIR spectra collected at different locations within an ovary or between ovaries. These results emphasize the importance of utilizing both oocyte PI measurement and progesterone-induced oocyte maturation assays while deciding when to hormonally induce spawning in sturgeon females.     

Dopaminergic influence on gonadotropin secretion in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

The effects of dopamine on the secretion of two sturgeon gonadotropins (stGTH I and stGTH II) in sexually mature male white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) were evaluated. In Experiment I, sturgeon were given intraperitoneal injections of physiological saline (PS), dopamine (100 mg kg⁻¹), the gonadotropin releasing hormone analog D-Ala⁶-des-Gly¹⁰-GnRH ethylamide (GnRHA) (10 μg/kg⁻¹), and a combination of GnRHa and dopamine. Fish receiving only GnRHa had significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of plasma stGTH I and stGTH II compared to fish receiving PS, dopamine, or a combination of GnRHa and dopamine. Two hours following its administration, dopamine was effective in decreasing plasma concentrations of both stGTHs that were previously elevated by GnRHa. Dopamine or PS administered by themselves did not alter plasma concentrations of either stGTH. In Experiment II, sturgeon injected intraperitoneally with a combination of GnRHa and pimozide had significantly higher (p < 0.05) concentrations of plasma stGTH I and stGTH II compared to males receiving GnRHa or pimozide alone. While this effect of GnRHAa + pimozide was observed in the spring, no such potentiation was seen in these fish during the summer (Experiment III). These results represent the first evidence of dopaminergic inhibition of GnRH-induced pituitary gonadotropin secretion in Chondrostean fish.     

Size dependent early salinity tolerance in two sizes of juvenile white sturgeon,Acipenser transmontanus

The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of size on salinity tolerance in 1 year old juvenile white sturgeon. Two sizes of sturgeon (10 and 30 g) from the same spawning event (thus reducing confounding effects of genetic make-up and size) and reared in the same environment were exposed to a salinity of 0, 8, 16, 24, or 32 ppt for up to 120 h. Both 10 and 30 g fish exhibited > 93% mortality within 24 h after transfer to 24 or 32 ppt, regardless of whether they were transferred directly from freshwater (FW) or following a 48 h pre-treatment period at 16 ppt. Direct transfer from FW to 16 ppt was associated with 25 to 30% mortality, indicating that these fish have some ability to tolerate large changes in salinity for up to 5 days at this stage. Following exposure to 8 and 16 ppt, an elevation in plasma osmolarity, [Na⁺], and [Cl^?] was observed between 24 and 72 h in both 10 and 30 g sturgeon, but plasma ions and osmolarity in surviving fish at 120 h were not significantly different between groups held at 0, 8, and 16 ppt. Despite being unprepared for either direct or stepwise transfer to salinities of 24 ppt or greater, size confers some ionoregulatory advantage, as mortality occurred more slowly and the degree of ionoregulatory perturbation was less in 30 g than 10 g fish over the course of the exposures. It is not known whether the apparent advantage of size is related to a size-dependent development of ionoregulatory capacity or due to social status which can also influence ionoregulatory capacity, but age and genetic differences did not likely contribute to this size effect.     

Molecular species of collagen in muscular and vertebral parts of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus

The molecular species of collagen in the muscular and vertebral parts of white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus were examined by biochemical techniques. Pepsin-solubilized collagens were prepared from these parts, and fractionated into major and minor collagen fractions by differential salt precipitation at acidic or neutral pH. Collagens contained in these fractions showed several features characteristic of fish type I and V collagens, respectively, in SDS-PAGE patterns and the amino acid compositions of both parts. These results suggest that at least two molecular species, corresponding to type I and V collagens, are distributed in the muscular and vertebral parts of white sturgeon.     

Evaluation of lethal and non-lethal sampling methods for the detection of white sturgeon iridovirus infection in white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus (Richardson)

Pectoral fin tissue of white sturgeon was investigated as a potential non-lethal sample source for the detection of white sturgeon iridovirus (WSIV) infection. Histopathology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results using fin tissue were compared with the standard lethal histopathology sampling method that utilizes head tissue. Tissues for each of the three sampling methods were collected weekly for 8 weeks from individual sturgeon undergoing an experimental cohabitation challenge with fish infected with the Abernathy isolate of WSIV. Non-lethal fin histopathological evaluation did not reveal infection during the first 3 weeks of sampling, while non-lethal PCR and the lethal method were variable. However, all three sampling methods were equally capable of identifying infection from 4 to 8 weeks post-exposure. Of the survivors tested, all were negative by PCR and the lethal method, and only one fish was identified as being positive by non-lethal fin histopathology. In another experiment, all three sampling methods were applied to asymptomatic WSIV carriers in a case study conducted at the Kootenai Tribal Sturgeon Conservation Hatchery. Results showed that both lethal and non-lethal fin histopathology were equally effective in detecting infection, but PCR was unable to identify this strain of WSIV. Depending on the virus isolate, these results suggest that non-lethal sampling of fin tissue (histopathology or PCR) is comparable with the lethal sampling method at identifying WSIV infection once infection is established, and under certain circumstances may provide an alternative to lethal sampling.     

Elimination of adhesiveness in eggs from the white sturgeon,Acipenser transmontanus: Chemical treatment of fertilized eggs

Chemical elimination of the adhesive jelly coat in live Acipenser transmontanus eggs was investigated. Following fertilization, urea/sodium chloride (NaCl) or sodium sulphite (Na₂SO₃) treatment followed by a tannic acid wash, successfully removed the adhesive layer. In hatchery incubators, urea/NaCl-tannic acid treatment resulted in an increase in the number of hatched larvae over Na₂SO₃-tannic acid treatment. This treatment resulted in a hatch at least as great as silt-treated control eggs. The decrease in manual labor and time required for de-adhesion of sturgeon eggs as well as the high percentage of hatched larvae indicate that the urea/NaCl treatment is superior to the manual silting method.     

Effects of feeding rates on growth performances of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) fries

Four 1‐week growth trials were conducted to determine the effects of feeding rates on the growth performances of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) fries 6–9 weeks after initiation of feeding. Six feeding rates with four replications were used in each of the four trials, and the feeding rates were 3.0–8.0, 2.0–7.0, 1.0–6.0 and 1.0–6.0% body weight (BW) per day in 1% increment, respectively. Number of fries per replicate and their initial BW (means ± SEM) were 60, 45, 30 and 30 and 2.8 ± 0.1, 4.5 ± 0.4, 8.5 ± 0.7 and 10.0 ± 0.7 g, respectively. The fries were kept at 18–19 °C and fed a commercial salmonid feed (488 g kg^?1 protein and 123 g kg^?1 fat). Mortality was low and unrelated to feeding rates. Final body weights, body weight increases, specific growth rates and feed efficiency were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by the feeding rates. Body moisture and lipid contents were significantly affected by feeding rates except body moisture content in trial II. Body protein contents were not affected by feeding rates except in trial III. Broken‐line analysis on specific growth rates indicated that the optimum feeding rates were 6.5 ± 0.4, 4.8 ± 0.2, 4.2 ± 0.1 and 3.8 ± 0.2% body weight per day, respectively, for white sturgeon fries 6–9 weeks after initiation of feeding.     

Routine metabolism of larval green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris Ayres)

Routine metabolic rates of green sturgeon (Acipenser medirostris) from hatching to 31 days post hatch (dph) were determined under normoxic conditions. During the endogenous feeding stage that comprised period from hatching to 15 dph, the oxygen consumption rate (MO₂, μg O₂ larva⁻¹ h⁻¹) increased 5-fold before yolk reserves became exhausted and MO₂ rates steady. The allometric relationships between MO₂ and body mass had mass exponents greater than 1.0 (b=1.64±0.21) and equal to 1.0 (b=1.04±0.07) during the endogenous and exogenous feeding phases, respectively. The magnitude and changes of MO₂ rates in green sturgeon larvae reflected their early ontogeny, especially during the endogenous feeding phase when the increase in metabolic rates was associated with organogenesis, acquisition of organ functions, and the conversion of yolk sac into new tissues. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Estimating the ideal dietary indispensable amino acid pattern for growth of white sturgeon, Acipenser transmontanus (Richardson)

Juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus, Richardson) were fed or starved for 4 weeks, and their whole body amino acid composition determined at the beginning and the end of the study. The amino acid compositions of muscle, liver, gill and gastrointestinal tract, and the free amino acids in plasma of fed and starved fish were also determined. Very little variation was observed in the amino acid compositions of all the tissues examined after starvation. However, the plasma free amino acids were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased following starvation. On the basis of the amino acid composition and nitrogen retention values of the whole fish, daily indispensable amino acid requirements for protein accretion and obligatory nitrogen losses (mg amino acid 100 g body weighr^?1 day^?1) were estimated. The pattern of indispensable amino acids required for each of these is different, with the pattern for protein accretion containing much higher levels of lysine, but lower levels of tryptophan and sulfur amino acids. Individual amino acid retention rates varied from 33.3% of dietary tryptophan to 80.2% for arginine. The estimated dietary indispensable amino acid pattern for young growing white sturgeon (expressed as a percentage of total indispensable amino acids plus cystine and tyrosine) is: arginine, 14.0; histidine, 6.6; isoleucine, 8.8; leucine, 12.5; lysine, 15.8; methionine (plus cystine), 6.6; phenylalanine (plus tyrosine), 15.5; threonine, 9.7; tryptophan, 0.8; and valine, 9.7.     

Effects of steroid hormones on in vitro oocyte maturation in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

The in vitro effects of several steroids on the maturation of intact white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) ovarian follicles were investigated. At the highest concentration (1024 ng ml^–1 for the C21 steroids and 1139 ng ml^–1 for the C19 steroids), all of the C21 steroids tested, progesterone (P4), 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP), 17,20-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20-P), 17,(20,21-trihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one 20-S), 11-deoxycortisol (S) and cortisol (F), as well as testosterone (T) induced germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) at 14 and 22 h. At 6 h, only P4 and 17,20-P induced maturation at the highest concentration (1024 ng ml^–1). At 14 and 22 h, 11-deoxycortisol was the most potent steroid inducer of GVBD followed by P4, 17OHP, 17,20-P, and 20-S. The steroid 11-hydroxytestosterone (11OHT) was completely ineffective at all concentrations and exposure times. The C21 steroids induced oocyte maturation at concentrations ranging from 4 to 1024 ng ml^–1, whereas T induced GVBD at 225 to 1139 ng ml^–1. Calculation of the mean effective concentration that induced 50% GVBD (EC50) from the 22 h incubations revealed the following order of potencies: S > P4 > 17OHP > 17,20-P > 20-S >> F > T. These bioassay results, together with previous findings on the endogenous production of steroids by ovarian follicles from gonadotropin-primed females, indicate that more than one steroid has a biological role in the resumption of meiosis in sturgeon oocytes and provides empirical evidence for P4, 17OHP, S, 20-S, and 17,20-P as maturation-inducing steroids in white sturgeon.     

Outbreaks of severe myositis in cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus L.) associated with Streptococcus iniae

Outbreaks of an infectious disease affecting cultured white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) were investigated. Clinical signs included erratic swimming, arching of the back and mortality. Necropsy findings included poorly demarcated yellow to dark-red and friable lesions in the epaxial muscle, ulcerative skin lesions and haemorrhages in the swim bladder and coelomic wall. Histological evaluation revealed areas of necrotizing and heterophilic myositis with aggregates of bacterial cocci. The lumen of blood vessels in the dermis, under ulcerated areas, and in the posterior kidney, was occluded by fibrin thrombi. Aggregates of Gram-positive cocci were observed in the muscle lesions and within the fibrin thrombi in the dermis and kidney. Genetically homogeneous Streptococcus iniae strains were recovered from affected fish from different outbreaks. The isolates shared high degree of similarity at gene locus (gyrB) with previously characterized S. iniae from cultured fish in California, confirming the emergence of this particular strain of S. iniae in US aquaculture.     

Effects of Spirulina and plant oil on the growth and lipid traits of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) fingerlings

The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficiency of diets with Spirulina and plant oils (POs) inclusion for white sturgeon weaning and their effects on the fatty acid (FA) composition of fish flesh. Three isoproteic (45%) and isoenergetic (21 MJ kg^?1 DM) diets were formulated: one fish meal‐based diet integrated with fish oil (FMO) and two 40% Spirulina meal‐based diets integrated with corn (SPC) or soybean (SPS) oils respectively. One hundred and thirty‐five white sturgeon fingerlings (mean weight 17.5 g) were stocked randomly in nine fibreglass tanks. At the end of the trial, which lasted 71 days, the growth performance traits and somatic indexes were determined. The chemical composition, gross energy and FA profile were determined on the fish fillets. No significant effects were observed for the growth performances or fillet chemical composition. The FA profile of the fillets reflected those of the diets. In particular, the fillets of the fish fed with the SPC and SPS diets were lower in n‐3 FA, due to the substitution of fish oil (FO) with POs. It is possible to replace FO and meal in sturgeon; therefore, Spirulina meal integrated with POs could be a good alternative to sturgeon diet.     

Effects of feeding a high level of D-glucose on liver function in juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

Juvenile white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) were fed three isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets containing either 35% D-glucose (HC), a mixture of 20% dextrin and 10% cellulose (MC), or 23% cellulose (LC), to investigate the effects of dietary carbohydrate on liver function. After 8-week feeding, body weight gain of fish fed the HC diet was consistently higher than that of fish fed the MC and LC diets, but was not significantly different from the MC-fed fish. Fish fed the HC diet had significantly (p < 0.05) higher feed efficiencies and liver glycogen concentrations than fish fed the MC and LC diets. Sturgeon were injected intravenously with 10 mg kg^-1 body weight of sulfobromophthalein (BSP) and post-injection blood taken from the caudal vein at 15, 30, 60, and 120 min. No significant differences in plasma BSP concentrations were found among the treatments at these times. Plasma hemoglobin and activities of aspartate and alanine aminotransferase were not affected by the diets. This study suggests that the HC diet does not adversely affect liver function or weight gain. Inclusion of high dietary levels of digestible and inexpensive carbohydrates in commercial sturgeon feeds seems promising, but long-term feeding trials should be conducted to confirm this assertion.     

Whole-body concentrations of cortisol and sex steroids in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus, Richardson 1836) during early development and stress response

In general little is known about hormones and the ontogeny of the stress response in the early developmental stages of chondrostean fishes and in particular of white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus, Richardson 1836). In this study, we measured for the first time cortisol and sex steroids (testosterone and estradiol) in eggs, larvae, post-larvae, and fry of white sturgeon by radioimmunoassay (RIA), to elucidate some endocrine aspects of its development. The cortisol, testosterone, and 17β-estradiol of maternal origin found in unfertilized eggs of white sturgeon probably regulate both growth and development of the embryo. Cortisol decreased after fertilization, whereas testosterone and 17β-estradiol did not significantly change. During the late stages of embryo development and immediately after hatching, endogenous production of cortisol and sexual steroids, respectively, occurred. Sex steroids may be physiological inducers of gonad sex differentiation in sturgeon. All steroids showed an increase 10 days post-hatch (dph), near the transition from an endogenous to an exogenous energy source. Cortisol maintained the same basal levels even after metamorphosis, whereas testosterone and 17β-estradiol declined significantly in post-larvae at 35 and 45 days post-hatch. In addition, to evaluate the ontogeny of a functional hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis, larvae and fry were submitted to acute stress. The HPI axis did not seem to be functional on the first day post-hatch, but became so from the third day post-hatch onward.     

Effects of feeding rate on growth performance and nutrient partitioning of young‐of‐the‐year white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus)

A 10‐week growth trial was performed to evaluate the effects of feeding rate on growth performance, nutrient partitioning, and to determine the optimum feeding rate for young‐of‐the‐year white sturgeon. Three tanks with 30 fish per tank each were assigned to five feeding rates, 0.4–2.0% body weight per day (BW day^?1). Weight gain significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing feeding rate up to 1.2% BW day^?1. Feed efficiency exhibited an inverse relationship to weight gain. Hepatosomatic and gonadal‐fat‐body (GFB)‐somatic indices were significantly affected by feeding rate, and the lowest values were observed at 0.4% BW day^?1. The increased feeding rate significantly affected whole‐body and carcass lipid and moisture contents. Protein gain in the carcass, but not in the GFB, was significantly influenced by feeding rate. Lipid gain in the carcass and GFB was also significantly affected by feeding rate. Four regression models were tested for the estimation of optimum feeding rate, including one‐slope straight broken‐line, two‐slope straight broken‐line, quadratic broken‐line and quadratic models. Adjusted coefficient of correlation and corrected Akaike information criterion were used to compare model performance. The quadratic broken‐line model was chosen as the best based on the criteria. The estimated optimum feeding rate for young‐of‐the‐year white sturgeon (360 g) is 1.5% BW day^?1.     

Effect of stocking density on growth and serum concentrations of thyroid hormones and cortisol in Amur sturgeon, Acipenser schrenckii

This study investigated the effects of different stocking densities on growth and serum concentrations of thyroid hormones and cortisol in Amur sturgeon, Acipenser schrenckii. Fish were reared at low, medium, and high stocking densities (initial experimental densities were 0.30, 0.75, and 1.78 kg m⁻², respectively) for 70 days. The results showed that high stocking density had negative effects on growth and feeding efficiency, and altered serum levels of thyroid hormones and cortisol in Amur sturgeon. A significant decrease in specific growth rate was observed as stocking density was increased. The feeding rate decreased significantly in the medium and high density groups, indicating that high stocking density reduced the food consumption of sturgeon. Food conversion ratio increased with increasing stocking density, suggesting that high stocking density might inhibit fish growth through decreasing food conversion efficiency. Serum concentrations of total triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, and free triiodothyronine were inversely related to stocking densities, whereas serum total thyroxine level of sturgeon stocked at different densities remained stable. Also, higher stocking density resulted in an elevation of serum cortisol level, indicating that the sturgeon stocked at the higher density experienced density-dependent physiological stress. These results suggest growth suppression caused by high stocking density might be related to both crowding stress and the declines in peripheral circulating levels of thyroid hormones, as well as associated with the reductions in both food consumption and food conversion efficiency.