Survival of silver catfish fingerlings exposed to acute changes of water pH and hardness

Theaim of this study was to examine the survival of fingerlings of silver catfish,Rhamdia quelen, in water with different pH and hardnessvalues. Fingerlings (1.60 ± 0.14 g; 5.67 ± 0.15cm) were randomly assigned to 35 treatments (in triplicate) andmaintained in 44 L polyethylene tanks (10 fingerlings/tank) for 96h. Fingerlings were exposed to seven solutions of varying pH (3.5,3.75, 4.0, 7.0, 9.5, 10.0, and 10.5) and five solutions of varying hardness(30,70, 150, 300, and 600 mg.l^–1 CaCO₃).Survival was assessed at 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Fingerlingmortality was 100% after 12 h exposure to pH 3.5 at all hardnesslevels, whereas mortality at pH 3.75, 10.0, and 10.5 decreased with increasinghardness. There was no mortality of fingerlings exposed to pH 4.0, 7.0, and 9.5at all hardness levels. The results allow us to conclude that the hardnesslevels studied do not affect the survival of silver catfish fingerlings exposedto pH 3.5, 4.0, 7.0, and 9.5 for 96 h. However, the increase ofwater hardness improved survival of fingerlings of this species exposed to pH3.75, 10.0, and 10.5.     

Effect of dietary calcium on growth and survival of silver catfish fingerlings, Rhamdia quelen (Heptapteridae), exposed to different water pH

The purpose of this study was to verify the effect of dietary Ca²⁺ on the growth and survival of silver catfish fingerlings (Rhamdia quelen) exposed to different water pH (5.5, 7.5 and 9.0). Silver catfish fingerlings were randomly placed in a thermoregulated water re‐use system with twelve 250 L‐tanks, two 1000 L‐biofilters and a 2000 L‐reservoir with a medium flow of 3.84 L min^?1 tank. Stocking density was 0.16 fingerlings L^?1. To prepare the treatment diets, the control diet (0.8 g kg^?1 Ca²⁺) was supplemented with CaCO₃ to yield experimental diets with 6.4, 9.5 and 23.9 g kg^?1 Ca²⁺. There were three replicates/treatments. Survival was more than 93.9% in all treatments. Exposure of silver catfish fingerlings to alkaline or acid water reduced growth, and this effect was not ameliorated by dietary Ca²⁺ supplementation. Moreover, when fingerlings were maintained in water with pH 7.5, the best dietary Ca²⁺ range for silver catfish fingerling growth was 0.8–6.4 g kg^?1.     

Survival, growth and biochemical parameters of silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), juveniles exposed to different dissolved oxygen levels

Silver catfish, Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824), is an endemic species from Latin America that is raised in cultivation ponds, and consequently may be exposed to low oxygen levels. Therefore, the objective of this study was to verify the lethal concentration (CL_{50?96 h}) of dissolved oxygen levels for silver catfish juveniles. In addition, the effects of different dissolved oxygen levels (1.96±0.08, 3.10±0.10, 4.14±0.09, 5.20±0.07 and 6.16±0.03 mg L^?1) on growth and metabolic parameters (glycogen, glucose, protein, lactate levels and catalase activity) were also investigated. CL_{50?96 h} was 0.52 mg L^?1 (CI 0.42–0.61 mg L^?1) or 6.7% oxygen saturation. After exposure of silver catfish to hypoxia for 30 days, there were no changes in biochemical parameters indicating the use of an anaerobic pathway by the fish. However, the dissolved oxygen levels influenced silver catfish juvenile behaviour, survival and growth, and under the experimental conditions 5.2 mg L^?1 (or 65.6% oxygen saturation) is the minimum oxygen level recommended for the growth of this species.     

Survival and growth of induced tetraploid mud loach

Tetraploid mud loach (Misgurnusmizolepis) were produced by heat shock(40.5°C for 3 min, 28 minpost-fertilization) and their survival andgrowth up to 9 months of age were examined. Theincidence of tetraploidy in 1-month-oldsurvivors of the heat shock was 22.6%.Tetraploids had a mean erythrocyte nuclearvolume of 38.8 µm³, modal chromosomenumber of 4n = 96, and average DNA content of5.6 pg/cell, all of which were double those ofdiploid control values. The survival rate oftetraploids was similar to that of diploidcontrols throughout the experiment (from 1 to 9months of age; P > 0.05), but theheat-shocked group had significantly highermortality during early developmental stages(P < 0.05). Growth rates of tetraploidswere significantly depressed until 7 months ofage (P < 0.05), but were not differentfrom diploid controls at ages 8 and 9 months(P > 0.05).     

饲料低蛋白、高脂肪和高消化能对斑点叉尾鮰

为了探讨高脂肪条件下不同的蛋白和能量水平对斑点叉尾鮰生长及体组成的影响,试验设2个蛋白水平(22%,28%),2个脂肪水平(10.0%,14.0%),2个消化能水平(12.56 kJ/g,14.23 kJ/g),共8组,分别为P28L10E14.23,P28L14E14.23,P22L10E14.23,P22L14E14.23,P28L10E12.56,P28L14E12.56,P22L10E12.56和P22L14E12.56。试验饲料配方使用鱼粉和豆粕调节蛋白含量,混合油脂(鱼油∶玉米油=1∶1)调节脂肪含量,α-淀粉、次粉和麸皮调节消化能含量,并以微晶纤维素为填充物,每组3个重复,每个重复20尾鱼(141.5?1.0) g。饲养60 d后,进行生产性能测定,并采集组织样本,测定相关指标。结果表明,鱼体末重(FW)、增重率(WG)、特定生长率(SGR)和饵料系数(FCR)不受饲料蛋白、脂肪和消化能单一营养水平影响(P>0.05);但与饲料蛋白、脂肪和消化能三者的交互作用(P<0.01)有关。胴体蛋白、脂肪含量与饲料脂肪和消化能水平相关(P<0.05)。由此可见,饲料过高脂肪和消化能对斑点叉尾鮰没有额外的促生长作用;饲料蛋白水平达到22%时,即可满足140~300 g斑点叉尾鮰的营养需要;饲料中22%的蛋白、10%的脂肪、12.56 kJ/g的消化能即可满足斑点叉尾鮰仔鱼的生长需要,同时又能保证其正常生理机能,建议可在实际生产配方中作参考值。     

Effects of feeding rate on growth, feed utilizationand body composition of a tropical bagrid catfish

A 10 week experiment was conducted to determine theeffects of feeding rate on growth, feed utilizationand body composition of the tropical bagrid catfish,Mystus nemurus. Catfish fingerlings with anaverage initial body weight of 12 g were fed apractical diet (36.2% protein, 16.5 kJ/g diet) atrates of 1, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, 4 or 5% of their bodyweight (BW) per day in two equal meals. Watertemperature was approximately 29 °C throughoutthe experiment. Percent weight gain increased almostlinearly with increasing feeding rates up to 2.5%BW/day beyond which no significant (P > 0.05)improvement in weight gain was observed. The specificgrowth rate of catfish fed rations of 1% BW/day was0.72%/day and this increased significantly to anaverage of 1.39%/day for catfish fed 2.5% BW/day andbeyond. Feed utilization did not differ significantly(P > 0.05) between fish fed 1.0 to 2.5%BW/day but decreased when rations were increased to3.0% BW/day and above. Feed efficiency ratio was0.79 for catfish fed 1.0% BW/day compared to a ratioof 0.27 for fish fed at 5% BW/day. Catfish fed 1.0%BW/day had the lowest condition factor, hepato- andviscerosomatic indices, but the highest carcass tobody weight ratio. These fish also had lowerproportions of whole body dry matter, lipid andprotein, carcass dry matter and lipid, and visceraldry matter and lipid than fish in other groups. Therewere no significant differences in either conditionindices or relative body composition of fish fedrations of 2.0 to 5.0% BW/day. Based on the growth,feed efficiency and body composition data obtained, afeeding rate of 2.5% BW per day is recommended forM. nemurus fingerlings raised at 29 °C.     

Survival of silver catfish fingerlings exposed to acute changes of water pH and hardness

Theaim of this study was to examine the survival of fingerlings of silver catfish,Rhamdia quelen, in water with different pH and hardnessvalues. Fingerlings (1.60 ± 0.14 g; 5.67 ± 0.15cm) were randomly assigned to 35 treatments (in triplicate) andmaintained in 44 L polyethylene tanks (10 fingerlings/tank) for 96h. Fingerlings were exposed to seven solutions of varying pH (3.5,3.75, 4.0, 7.0, 9.5, 10.0, and 10.5) and five solutions of varying hardness(30,70, 150, 300, and 600 mg.l^?1 CaCO₃).Survival was assessed at 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Fingerlingmortality was 100% after 12 h exposure to pH 3.5 at all hardnesslevels, whereas mortality at pH 3.75, 10.0, and 10.5 decreased with increasinghardness. There was no mortality of fingerlings exposed to pH 4.0, 7.0, and 9.5at all hardness levels. The results allow us to conclude that the hardnesslevels studied do not affect the survival of silver catfish fingerlings exposedto pH 3.5, 4.0, 7.0, and 9.5 for 96 h. However, the increase ofwater hardness improved survival of fingerlings of this species exposed to pH3.75, 10.0, and 10.5.     

Effects of larger fish and size grading on growth and size variation in fingerling silver perch

This study presents two experiments addressing growth and size variation in fingerling silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus. In the first experiment, fish close to mean population size were raised either in the presence or absence of five larger fish for 60 days. Mean specific growth rate (SGR) and increases in the coefficient of variation and skewness were lower in the presence of larger fish, indicating a negative effect of large fish on the growth of smaller ones. In the second experiment, fingerlings were graded into groups smaller and larger than the median size of the population and raised in size-sorted groups of 60 large or small fish and mixed groups of 30 fish of each size category, for 60 days. There was no difference in mean SGR among groups, nor between the mixed group ad the weighted mean of the small and large groups. Biomass gain was higher in the mixed groups than in the weighted small-and-large groups, probably due to a slightly lower survival in the groups comprised of large fish. The fact that the effect of large fingerlings on the growth of smaller ones was evident in the first, but not the second, experiment may be attributed to higher size disparity between large and small fingerlings in the first experiment.     

精氨酸和赖氨酸对瓦氏黄颡鱼幼鱼生长和非特异性免疫力的影响

以初始体质量(2.12±0.01) g的瓦氏黄颡鱼为研究对象,在室内流水系统中进行为期56 d的摄食生长实验,探讨饲料中精氨酸、赖氨酸水平及其交互作用对瓦氏黄颡鱼幼鱼生长和非特异性免疫力的影响。采用3×3双因子实验设计,制作9种Arg和 Lys不同配比的饲料(粗蛋白42%、粗脂肪10%),其中Arg水平为2.41%、4.86%和6.81%(饲料蛋白),在每个Arg水平分别设1.95%、5.84%和8.27%(饲料蛋白)3个Lys水平。每种饲料随机投喂3桶(养殖桶规格:40 L),每桶30尾实验鱼。实验结果表明,饲料中Arg、Lys水平对瓦氏黄颡鱼生长和头肾巨噬细胞呼吸爆发活性均有显著影响(P<0.05),当Arg/Lys为6.81/5.84(饲料蛋白)时,实验鱼生长最佳,而头肾巨噬细胞活性最高值出现在 Arg/Lys 为4.86/8.27(饲料蛋白)水平。饲料中Arg水平对瓦氏黄颡鱼血清一氧化氮合酶(NOS)活性有显著影响(P<0.05),且在适中和高Arg水平时,血清NOS活性均高于低水平Arg组。饲料中Arg、Lys水平对血清精氨酸酶(ARG)活性和过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性无显著影响(P>0.05)。饲料中Arg和Lys对瓦氏黄颡鱼的生长存在交互作用,而对体组成、肝指数、头肾巨噬细胞呼吸爆发活性、血清中NOS、ARG和CAT活性均无交互作用。     

不同饲料对银鲳幼鱼增重率、肝脏脂酶及抗氧化酶活性的影响

利用营养学与生物化学的方法,研究分析了不同饲料对银鲳幼鱼增重率、饲料系数、肝脏脂酶及抗氧化酶活性的影响。试验共设4组不同饲料,依次为饲料1(新鲜鱼肉糜)、饲料2(新鲜鱼肉糜+饲料)、饲料3(新鲜鱼肉糜+饲料+蛏子肉糜)和饲料4(新鲜鱼肉糜+饲料+蛏子肉糜+桡足类)。试验用银鲳幼鱼的平均体重为(4.80±0.11)g,每组饲料设3重复,试验周期为9周。研究结果显示,不同饲料可显著影响银鲳的增重率,各饲料组中以饲料1组的增重率最低,并显著低于其它各饲料组;饲料4组的增重率最高,并显著高于饲料2、3组的增重率(P<0.05)。饲料系数以饲料1组最高,且显著高于其它3组饲料组;饲料2、3、4组饲料系数间并无显著性差异(P>0.05)。饲料1组肝脂酶与总脂酶活性均显著低于其它3组饲料组(P<0.05),但饲料2、3、4组间肝脏脂蛋白脂酶、肝脂酶和总脂酶活性均未有显著性差异(P>0.05)。各组间肝脏超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)与谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-PX)活性均未有显著性差异(P>0.05),但均以饲料1组最低、饲料4组最高;饲料1、2、3组间肝脏过氧化氢酶(CAT)活性未有显著性差异(P>0.05),但饲料4组CAT活性显著高于饲料1组的CAT活性(P<0.05)。分析结果表明,单纯利用鱼肉糜作为饲料不利于银鲳的生长;饲料中添加桡足类不但有助于促进银鲳的生长,也可提高其抗氧化能力。     

不同动物饵料对YY超雄黄颡鱼性腺发育的影响

通过比较近10年YY超雄黄颡鱼的生产和养殖记录,发现仅近几年投喂过水蚯蚓的YY超雄黄颡鱼性腺出现问题。实验设定4组不同饵料(丰年虫、浮游动物、红虫和水蚯蚓)连续投喂YY黄颡鱼鱼苗20 d(11～30日龄),选择60日龄统计各组YY超雄黄颡鱼的存活率、体长和体质量。水蚯蚓组YY超雄黄颡鱼的体长和体质量显著高于其他3组,丰年虫组YY超雄黄颡鱼存活率显著低于其他3组。解剖观察60日龄和1年龄YY黄颡鱼的性腺结构并统计1年龄YY超雄鱼的受精率,结果显示,水蚯蚓组YY超雄黄颡鱼的性腺有75%为兼性性腺(精巢和卵巢均存在),25%为无精小叶的精巢,且1年龄的YY黄颡鱼受精率仅为36.70%±4.05%,并显著低于其他3组,而其他3组性腺发育和受精率均正常。为研究水蚯蚓引起YY黄颡鱼雌性化具体原因,实验测量4种不同动物饵料的雌二醇含量,发现雌二醇含量均较低,推测YY超雄黄颡鱼雌性化的原因可能是水蚯蚓富集的环境内分泌干扰物(EDCS)导致。研究表明,在YY超雄黄颡鱼大规格苗种培育过程中,早期应投喂浮游动物或红虫,不宜投喂水蚯蚓。     

The effect of stocking density on growth,survival and agonistic behaviour of African catfish

A high rate of sibling cannibalism is one of the principal obstacles in the rearing of larvae and juveniles of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus. This paper examines the underlying behavioural components of agonistic behaviour under culture conditions. Ten day old catfish larvae were stocked at 30 larvae l^–1 in three tank designs with different surface areas and equal volumes. Stocking densities were 1.2, 0.6 and 0.3 fish cm^–2 bottom surface. Growth did not differ between treatments. The highest mortality over 30 days was recorded at the medium density (0.6 larvae l^–1). Fish stocked at this density showed the highest rate of aggression, while there was no difference in aggression between the highest and the lowest stocking densities. The results indicate that stocking density should be at least as high as 1.2 larvae cm^–2 bottom surface area to obtain high production at best survival rates.     

Quantifying the dietary biotin requirement of the catfish,Clarias batrachus

Asian catfish, Clarias batrachus, were fed semi-purified basaldiets containing 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 3 and 5 mg biotin kg^–1diet for 60 days. Fish fed the control diet (no biotin) showed(P < 0.05) higher mortality, lower weight gain, specificgrowth rate (SGR), feed efficiency ratio (FER) and protein efficiencyratio (PER) than in fish fed diets supplemented with biotin. The highestweight gain, SGR, FER and PER were noticed in fish fed 1 mg biotinkg^–1, followed by 0.5, 5, 3 and 0.1 mg biotinkg^–1, except for PER (followed by 0.5, 5, 0.1 and 3 mgbiotin kg^–1). Quadratic analysis showed that the optimumdietary biotin requirements for maximal weight gain, PER and PER were2.49, 2.54 and 2.52 mg kg^–1, respectively. Liver biotinconcentrations were influenced by levels of biotin in the diet.Concentration of liver biotin increased as level of dietarysupplementation increased and no biotin was detected in the liver of thecontrol fish. Liver pyruvate carboxylase and acetyl CoA carboxylaseactivities were higher in fish fed biotin-supplemented diets than incontrols. Biotin concentrations, pyruvate carboxylase and acetyl CoAcarboxylase activities in liver associated with normal growth rangedfrom 10.59 to 10.66 g g^–1, 147.97 to 148.18 units mgprotein^–1 and 12.76 to 12.78 units mg protein^–1, respectively. Biotin deficiency symptoms such as anorexia, darkskin colour and convulsions were observed in fish fed the control diet.The optimum dietary biotin requirement for maximal growth of C.batrachus is about 2.49 mg kg^–1 diet.     

Survival and growth of selected marine fish larvae first fed with eggs and endotrophic larvae of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

Two sets of experiments were carried out to evaluate the potential of eggs and endotrophic larvae of captive Paracentrotus lividus as alternative live prey for marine fish larvae first feeding. The first consisted in rearing sparids, Diplodus sargus and Sparus aurata, larvae until 15 days after hatching in a recirculation system. Compared with the commonly used live prey – rotifer Brachionus spp. – general lower values of survival and growth were obtained when fish larvae were fed with the alternative live prey. Among these, eggs showed to be the preferred feeding. Broodstock feed showed to play a fundamental role on prey quality and consequent fish larvae survival. In the second set of experiments, the 24‐h ingestions of the first feeding larvae in static water were determined for five currently cultured fish larvae species. Except for larger and more predatory Dicentrarchus labrax larvae, there was a trend for higher P. lividus egg ingestion, followed by pre‐plutei and prisms. Prey size, colour and movement affected food selection by fish larvae. It is concluded that, in spite of the alternative live prey being readily consumed by all tested fish larvae, they cannot however presently compete with rotifers in marine fish larvae first feeding.     

ATP,ADP and AMP dephosphorylation in membrane fractions of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhamdia quelen</Emphasis> exposed to different temperatures

The silver catfish Rhamdia quelen is a teleost species from South America that can resist cold winters and grow quickly in the summer, representing an important species for aquaculture in both temperate and subtropical climates. NTPDase and 5′-nucleotidase are enzymes responsible for the sequence of ATP dephosphorylation to adenosine in a variety of organs. This enzymatic cascade permits the resultant adenosine to be taken up by the cells. In the present study, membrane fractions of brain, liver and kidney from fish Rhamdia quelen exposed to 15, 23 and 31 °C for 21 days (chronic) or 12 h (acute) were incubated with ATP, ADP and AMP as substrates. In the 21 day experiment the results showed that ATP hydrolysis was enhanced by the increase in temperature in all tissues, except for 31 °C in the brain. NTPDase hydrolysis using ADP as substrate showed a behavior similar to that observed for ATP hydrolysis, except for 31 °C, when the behavior was similar to that observed at 15 °C in the brain. 5′-Nucleotidase activity using AMP as substrate raised with increasing temperature in the three tissues studied. In the 12 h experiment the results obtained for the three temperatures did not differ significantly from each other for any of the tissues. We conclude that after a period of 21 days temperature may affect the activity of NTPDase and 5′-nucleotidase, important enzymes implicated in nucleotide degradation.     

DNA barcoding reveals blend of silver catfish Rhamdia species from fish farms in Southern Brazil

Rhamdia quelen is the most produced native freshwater fish in fish farms in South Brazil. Until recently, Rhamdia branneri and Rhamdia voulezi were synonyms of R. quelen, and all the species are commercialized as silver catfish (locally called jundiá or bagre sapo) by the aquaculture industry. In fact, because these species are morphologically very similar, interspecific crosses easily might occur in fish farming. We employed standard DNA barcoding to identify jundiá molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) in fish cultivated and commercialized in the industry and in possible escapees in the natural environment in southern Brazil. We analysed 48 individuals from six fish farms and 48 individuals from three rivers (Uruguay, Benedito Novo and Itapocu Rivers) using the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). Four MOTUs were identified based on the estimated optimum threshold (OT = 0.77), and these MOTUs were concordant with Bayesian Inferece (BI) and Neighbour‐Joining (NJ) trees. Our results support the existence of at least three species in our dataset: R. branneri, R. voulezi, and R. quelen 1 and R. quelen 2. The interspecific genetic divergence ranged from 1.1% to 5.1% (mean = 3.5%), and the intraspecific distance ranged from 0% to 1.4% (mean = 0.24%). The presence of cultivated fish in the Uruguay and Benedito Novo Rivers provides evidence of genetic contamination in native populations. These results show the need to regulate aquaculture activities and to characterize the species and commercial lineages of silver catfish that are cultivated in South Brazil.     

富硒酵母对斑点叉尾鮰肝脏的毒性作用及蛋白质组学的影响

实验探讨了富硒酵母对斑点叉尾鮰肝脏的毒性作用及蛋白质组学的影响,结果表明,饲养56 d后正常组和有机硒组采用原子荧光法检测硒含量均值为0.15和0.81 mg/kg。H.E染色显示有机硒组肝细胞有明显的疏松化,部分发生脂肪变。通过二维凝胶电泳结合ImageMaster软件分析,鉴定出8个表达差异蛋白质点,其中3个在有机硒组表达上调,5个在有机硒组特异表达,经液相色谱串联质谱分析鉴定,这些蛋白质分别是伴侣蛋白TCP1-亚基8、甘油醛-3-磷酸脱氢酶、4SNcTudor蛋白、腺苷激酶、酮糖移转酶、丙氨酰-tRNA合成酶。富硒酵母饲料对斑点叉尾鮰肝具有明显的毒性效应,有机硒调控4SNc-Tudor蛋白,通过信号传导通道加强机体免疫。     

Quality costs in intensive fish culture: an analysis of African catfish farms in The Netherlands

A quality cost analysis was performed with the cooperation of six full-time African catfish, Clorias gariepinus, farmers in The Netherlands. The relative distribution of the quality costs does not fit a common quality cost model. Possible explanations for this observation are the absence of (1) feedback from customers and (2) well-defined quality criteria. The results show that it is likely that a considerable reduction in quality costs can be achieved with respect to sorting and rewatering. A further reduction is possible if agreement on quality criteria for African catfish can be reached.