Comparative effects of Shirazi thyme and vitamin E on some growth and plasma biochemical changes in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) during cadmium exposure

Phytobiotics include a large number of active components which potentially have a growth‐promoting effects and antioxidant properties. This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of Shirazi thyme and vitamin E on growth and plasma biochemical parameters of common carp exposed to cadmium. Fish (34 ± 3 g) were divided into four groups and fed four distinct diets including commercial diet without any additive (for control and metal only group) and supplemented with either 1% ground Shirazi thyme or 100 mg kg^?1 vitamin E for 45 days. At the end of the feeding trial, all treatments except control group were exposed to sub‐lethal concentration of waterborne cadmium for 15 days and sampling was done on days 0, 7 and 15 after the metal exposure. According to the results, dietary inclusion of thyme prevented the harmful effects of cadmium and also improved fish growth and nutritional indices including weight gain, feed conversion ratio, specific growth rate and condition factor. Results also revealed that Shirazi thyme was more effective than vitamin E. Similarly, no changes in the hepatosomatic, viscerosomatic and bile somatic indices were observed. Plasma enzymes (AST, ALT, ALP and LDH) and metabolites were not altered due to thyme supplementation compared to the control. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of 1% ground Shiraz thyme improved the growth and health status of fish and showed better hepatorenoprotective properties than vitamin E during waterborne cadmium exposure in common carp juveniles. It might be conceivable to consider Shirazi thyme as a potential phytobiotic for incorporation in fish diet.     

红水河干流梯级运行后鱼类资源调查

于2009年6月和11月对红水河干流龙滩水库、岩滩水库、大化水库、百龙滩水库、乐滩水库、桥巩水库进行了鱼类资源调查。结果显示:调查的鱼类144种,分属10目23科93属,其中鲤形目66属100种,占种数的69.4%;鲈形目11属18种,占种数的12.5%;鲇形目同为18种,分9属,亦占种数的12.5%;其余鳗鲡目1属2种,鲱形目、鲑形目、鳉形目、脂鲤目、合鳃鱼目、鲀形目等6目均为1属1种。本次调查结果表明:红水河干流鱼类种类明显减少,渔获物中小型鱼类数量占优势。     

Quality characteristics in raw and smoked fillets of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, fed high-energy diets

Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar , were fed four levels of dietary fat (256, 308, 346 and 389 g kg⁻¹ of diet) for 138 days, with the purpose of studying quality characteristics in raw and smoked fish fillets. Dietary fat levels up to 346 g kg⁻¹ resulted in increased fat content of the raw fillets. The dietary fat levels had a less systematic effect on perceived fatness of the smoked fillets and caused a trend towards better odour and flavour. The fat content of raw fillets was significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) correlated to lower smoke odour, greater rancid flavour, fatness, and a yellower hue of the smoked fillets. Astaxanthin levels of the raw fillets varied between 6 and 11 mg kg⁻¹ of fillet and were significantly ( P ≤ 0.05) correlated with greater intensity of smoke odour, lower off-odour, and less whiteness, greater colour intensity and a redder hue of the smoked fish. It is proposed that salmon fillets can be graded according to weight, fat content and colour values prior to smoking to obtain more standardized quality characteristics of the final product after processing.     

The effect of different HUFA enrichment emulsions on the nutritional value of rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) fed to larval haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus).

A feeding study was conducted in the winter 2001 to determine the effects of feeding rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) enriched with various levels of essential fatty acids on the growth and survival of haddock larvae (Melanogrammus aeglefinus). Rotifer enrichment treatments were: 1) mixed algae, 2) high DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, 22:6n-3), 3) high DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid, 20:5n-3), and 4) DHA, EPA, and AA (arachidonic acid, 20:4n-6). Larvae were fed rotifers enriched with the different treatments from days 1 to 16 post-hatch. From day 17 until 25 all treatment groups were fed rotifers reared on mixed algae and then weaned onto the International Council for Exploration of the SEA (ICES) Standard Reference Weaning diet (http://allserv.rug.ac.t/aquaculture/rend/rend.htm) over a five day period. The experiment was terminated on day 41 post-hatch. The enrichment treatments affected the fatty acid composition of the rotifers and correlated with the accumulation of these fatty acids in the haddock larvae. However, no significant differences in larval growth or survival to 40 days post hatch were detected, suggesting that all treatments provided the minimal essential fatty acid requirements for haddock.     

硝化细菌浓度及滤料对养殖水中氨氮处理效果的影响

分别研究了不同硝化细菌浓度(0、20、60、120 mL/100 L)和不同微生物滤料(珊瑚石、锅炉煤渣、牡蛎壳)对养殖水中氨氮处理效果的影响。结果显示,添加硝化细菌后,水体中的氨氮浓度呈现下降趋势,在8～12 h出现极低值后,开始上升,但上升速度较慢;随着水体中硝化细菌添加量的增加,水体中的氨氮浓度下降速度加快;水体中亚硝酸氮浓度呈现先上升后下降的趋势,并在4～6 h出现极高值,然后迅速下降,且硝化细菌添加量越高,下降速度越快。硝化细菌对以珊瑚石和锅炉煤渣为滤料的养殖水体中氨氮和亚硝酸氮的处理效果显著优于牡蛎壳,但珊瑚石和锅炉煤渣之间无显著差异。综合试验结果,应急水质处理时,硝化细菌菌剂的添加量以一次60 mL/100 L(或以活菌计数为1.2×109个/100 L)、间隔24 h添加1次为宜;经过脱硫筛选之后的锅炉煤渣可以作为循环水养殖用滤料。     

鱼类下丘脑增食欲素(Orexin)研究进展

鱼体内的物质、能量代谢既与摄入食物、环境因素及运动强度有关,也与内分泌调控因子的参与密切相关。Orexin是新近发现的一种能够调节机体摄食和能量代谢的下丘脑神经多肽物质。目前在人类和其他哺乳动物上的研究越来越多,而在海洋鱼类上的研究则比较少见。本文首先综述了鱼类Orexin的基因、结构、组织分布与生理功能等方面的最新研究成果,初步阐明了Orexin在鱼类摄食、营养、生活节律等生理学基础领域中的作用,可为今后鱼类养殖领域开展该项目的应用性研究奠定基础。     

Growth and production of the Amazonian tambaqui in fixed cages under different feeding regimes

Experimental culture of the native Amazonian fish tambaqui, Colossoma macropomum, in fixed cages was carried out over a period of 8 months, in Lake Urubu (Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil), to assess the viability of fixed cage culture of tambaqui and to test the influence of diet on growth rates. Nine synthetic net cages (1 m³) were each stocked with 45-day-old fish (mean weight 3 g; mean total body length 51 mm) at a density of 34 fry m^–3. During the first 2 months of culture, fish were fed a balanced formulated feed on an as-fed basis at the rate of 5% body weight day^–1. During months 3–8 this continued for fish in treatment 1 while those in treatment 2 were fed tropical regional fruits, on a wet weight basis at the rate of 5% body wt day^–1. Fish in treatment 3 were given no supplementary feed. Monthly biometric measurements were made on all fish. Fixed cage fish culture was shown to be a viable and simple technique. Survival in all treatments was 100%. With balanced supplementary feed, production was 14.4 kg m^–3, compared with 4.9 kg m^–3 and 2.1 kg m^–3, respectively, in the treatments where fish were fed with fruits and were not given any supplementary feed.     

The effects of starving and feeding on Dover sole (Solea solea,Soleidae, Linnaeus, 1758) stress response and early larval development

In the view of an urgent necessity to improve the quantity and the quality of farmed fish species, there is a strong need to improve our basic knowledge on the effects of first feeding during the developmental stages of fish larvae. High mortality, mainly due to food deprivation or inappropriate food quality, has been observed in many larval fish species, but knowledge about the morphological, biochemical and molecular processes related to this topic is still poorly understood. The understanding of the early larval ontogeny as well as the larval nutritional requirements and the molecular and cellular mechanisms elicited by fish larvae during food deprivation and starvation are thus of primary importance. At this regard, this study investigates, in Dover sole larvae, the effects of starvation and starving/re‐feeding procedures at a morphological, histological, biochemical and molecular level. The results evidenced that starved larvae progressively decrease in growth, lipid content, affected their gastrointestinal tract and muscle development and increased cortisol and heat shock protein 70 levels. On the contrary, starved and re‐fed larvae showed, after the restoration of a favourable feeding condition, a compensatory growth. In conclusion, this is the first study analysing through a multidisciplinary approach the effects of food deprivation on the development of an important economic species, the Dover sole.     

Feeding strategies for striped blenny Meiacanthus grammistes larvae

Rotifers and Artemia salina nauplii are the most widely used live prey for newly hatched larvae, but they do not always promote optimal survival and growth. Alternative food sources such as copepods, which bypass these inadequacies and promote adequate growth, are needed and they are viewed with considerable interest by the scientific community. The aim of the present study was to test two different diets [rotifers and A. salina nauplii (group A) and a mixture (group B) of rotifers/Tisbe spp. copepods and A. salina nauplii/copepods] during the larval rearing of the striped blenny Meiacanthus grammistes. The analysis of the survival rate, size (total length and wet weight) and metamorphosis time during the larval phase of this species showed that Tisbe spp. administration can significantly improve larval survival and growth and also reduce the metamorphosis time. The results obtained are related to the fatty acid content of the live prey used and are essential in order to improve the captive production of M. grammistes through a closed system and, in turn, to preserve natural stocks.