Reaction of common carp (Cyprinus carpio, L.) to oxygen deficiency in winter as an example for the suitability of radio telemetry for monitoring the reaction of fish to stress factors in pond aquaculture

The reaction of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) in an ice‐ and snow‐covered pond to depletion of dissolved oxygen (DO) in winter was recorded using radio telemetry. The carp moved from the deeper parts of the pond to the shallow areas near the tributary in search of better oxygenated water. Evidence was found that feeding occurred until December but ceased with the oxygen crisis. After the carp farmer started aeration to improve the oxygen supply, carp returned towards the deeper parts of the pond. The gross activity was significantly correlated with DO (P<0.001) and was not influenced by water temperature (P>0.05). The clear documentation of the carp's reaction to oxygen depletion suggests, that radio telemetry may be useful for investigating the effects of various stress factors on fish in pond aquaculture.     

Reproductive biology of the common ponyfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Leiognathus equulus</Emphasis> in the south-western waters off Taiwan

ABSTRACT:   Reproductive biology of the common ponyfish Leiognathus equulus was described based on 958 specimens caught by otter trawlers in the south-western waters off Taiwan and landed at Tungkang and Linuan fishing ports from March 2000 to February 2001. Macroscopic appearance of the ovary, gonad-somatic index, oocyte diameter frequency distribution, and histological examination suggested that the spawning season of the common ponyfish in south-western Taiwan waters is from May to August. Eight stages of oocyte development were determined based on histological examination, and ovarian development can be divided as immature, early maturing, late maturing, mature and spent stages. The sex ratio of 0.52 was not significantly different from 0.5 using χ² test, but females were overwhelmingly more when fork length (FL) was greater than 170 mm. The relations between fecundity (F), batch fecundity (BF), and body weight (BW) were estimated to be F =−5328 + 1.2946 BW ( n  = 132, P  < 0.05) and BF = −11.26 + 0.2748 BW ( n  = 25, P  < 0.05), respectively. Mean fecundity and mean batch fecundity (± standard error) were estimated to be 129 955 ± 79 343 and 28 160 ± 14 698, respectively. Sizes at 50% maturity estimated from the Logistic model were 162 mm FL and 158 mm FL for females and males, respectively.     

The effect of common carp, Cyprinus carpio (L.) and mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) as bottom feeders in major Indian carp polycultures

A polyculture experiment with the large carp rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton), catla, Catla catla (Hamilton) and either mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala (Hamilton) or common carp, Cyprinus carpio (L.) (as cash crop fish), and the small indigenous fish punti, Puntius sophore (Hamilton) (as food for the small‐scale farmer family) was carried out at the Field Laboratory of the Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh. The main objective was to compare polycultures of large carp in which the bottom feeder is either the native mrigal or the exotic common carp. Secondary objectives were to assess the effects of adding the small indigenous species punti to polycultures of large carp, and to compare the effects of mrigal and common carp on punti production and reproduction. It was found that (i) common carp damaged embankments, had no effect on catla, improved rohu performance by 50% and total fish production by 20%; (ii) punti addition did not affect rohu, catla and total yield, improved mrigal performance by 50%, and decreased common carp performance by 20%; and (iii) punti was not affected either by common carp or by mrigal. However, its performance was not satisfactory, probably owing to frequent netting, which might have hindered growth and breeding. In spite of the embankment damage caused by common carp, this bottom feeder seems to be more promising than mrigal, because it leads to higher fish production. The addition of punti to the large carp polyculture is a viable proposition, as it does not reduce cash crop production, and might be a good food source for a small‐scale farmer's family.     

Purification of serine carboxypeptidase from the hepatopancreas of Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus and its application for elimination of bitterness from bitter peptides

ABSTRACT:   An acidic serine carboxypeptidase (CPase Tpa) from the hepatopancreas of Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus was purified. Purified CPase Tpa had a molecular mass of 36 kDa on sodium dodecylsulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and an isoelectric point of 6.0. The optimum pH of CPase Tpa was pH 4.0. In investigating the specificity of CPase Tpa for several peptide substances, it was found that peptides with hydrophobic or bulky amino acid residues at the P₁ position reacted well. The enzymatic activity was almost completely inhibited by p -chloromercuribenzoic acid, monoiodoacetic acid, diisopropylfluorophosphate and HgCl₂. This is the basis for its grouping in the serine carboxypeptidase family (EC 3. 4. 16. 5). The substrate specificity of CPase Tpa can be used to eliminate the bitterness of bitter peptides. In this study, the bitterness-reductive effect using bitter peptides prepared by hydrolyzing soy protein, casein and corn gluten with pepsin or trypsin was tested. The bitterness of soy peptide digested with pepsin was completely eliminated by treatment with CPase Tpa, whereas the bitterness of casein digested with trypsin and corn peptide digested with pepsin were somewhat less efficient. On the basis of these results, it is anticipated that CPase Tpa would be effective in eliminating the bitterness of some bitter peptides.     

High zinc in the erythrocyte plasma membranes of common carp Cyprinus carpio

ABSTRACT:   The distribution of zinc (Zn) concentration in the blood and erythrocytes of common carp, grass carp, silver carp and tilapia was studied. It was found that in whole blood, the average Zn concentrations in these four species of fish (approx. 6–14 μg/[ml whole blood]) were relatively similar to those in other species of fish and mammals. However, the mean Zn concentration in the erythrocytes of common carp is approximately two times higher than the other three species of fish (approx. 5 vs approx. 2 μg/[ml whole blood]). It was found that approximately 70% of the Zn in the common carp whole blood came from its erythrocytes. In addition, approximately 43% of the Zn in the erythrocytes of common carp was found to be located on its outer plasma membranes. When an antibody against a 43 kDa Zn-binding protein, isolated from the digestive tract tissue of common carp, was used, significant quantities of the protein were shown to be present on the erythrocyte plasma membranes of common carp by an indirect immunofluorescent staining. High Zn on the outer plasma membrane of the common carp erythrocyte most probably comes from the 43 kDa Zn-binding protein.     

Effects of adding different proportions of the small fish punti (Puntius sophore) and mola (Amblypharyngodon mola) to a polyculture of large carp

This experiment was carried out in the framework of a project to develop a viable fish polyculture technology under Bangladeshi conditions that allows simultaneous fish production of small indigenous species for the farmers' family consumption and of large carp species as a cash crop. The objectives of this experiment were to assess the effects of adding punti and mola in different proportions on the large carp and on the environment, and to assess the effects of punti on mola and mola on punti. The polyculture included the large carp rohu, catla and common carp (as cash crop fish), and the small indigenous fish punti and mola (as food for the small‐scale farmer family). The total large carp stocking density was 10 000 fish ha^?1, at a species ratio of 1:1:1. The total small fish stocking densities were 0 in the control and 30 000 punti and mola ha^?1 in the treatments, these at rates 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2. Stocking punti and mola at the density and all ratios tested were viable solutions to obtain simultaneously large carp cash crops and small fish to feed the farmer's family. Statistically marginal differences in large carp production were obtained in stocking small fish in the different proportions. These marginal differences could be explained by food competition between punti and common carp and between mola and rohu, which had different outcomes depending on the proportions of the small fish stocked. Stocking punti and mola at a 1:1 ratio would result in more small fish for the farmer's family, while the individual size of rohu, the most expensive large carp, would be somewhat smaller, but not necessarily small enough to decrease its selling price. Stocking one of the small fish in higher proportion than the other (2:1 or 1:2) would result in less mola for the family consumption, while harvesting of common carp would be somewhat lower and of smaller fish. Since common carp is the cheapest of the large carps, this small reduction would not necessarily affect the family income in an important way. With these results, farmers would now be able to reorganize their stocking practices with large carps and small fish and decide the appropriate small fish stocking ratios to meet their needs.     

The effect of light intensity on early life development of common dentex Dentex dentex (L. 1758) larvae

The effects of different levels of illumination on common dentex Dentex dentex (L.) larvae have been examined. Illumination affected the relationships between total length and digestive tube length, total length and oil globule volume, and total length and yolk sac. The relationship between total length development and yolk sac utilization in dark and light conditions was found to be significant (P<0.05). However, it was determined that the relationship between digestive tube development and oil globule absorption was not significant (P>0.05). Besides, there is no effect of different light intensities on absorption of yolk sac and oil globule and digestive tube development (P>0.05). In addition, total length development was not significant (P>0.05). Survival rate was found to be not significantly different in dark conditions (P>0.05).     

Development of the common dentex (Dentex dentex) eggs in relation to temperature

Embryonic development of common dentex (Dentex dentex) was investigated at nine different constant water temperatures (8°C, 10°C, 12°C, 14°C, 16°C, 18°C, 20°C, 22°C and 24°C). The observed effects were compared using of regression analysis. Constant water temperatures between 12°C and 18°C were found to support successful embryonic development. A negative relationship between the rate of embryonic development and incubation temperature was observed. While embryonic development was completed within this range (12°C–18°C), there was no cell division at water temperatures of 8°C and 24°C. Total mortalities were observed at the 128 cleavage stage at a temperature of 10°C, and after the beginning of gastrulation at 20°C and 22°C.     

Isolation, partial characterization and localization of integumental peroxidase, a stress-related enzyme in the skin of a teleostean fish (Cyprinus carpio L.)

Biochemical and immunological characteristics of peroxidase activity of the skin epithelium of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were investigated and compared with peroxidase activity of blood cells. Skin as well as blood-borne peroxidases eluted from the Superdex column as a 135 kDa protein and both probably are tetrameric molecules. Skin peroxidase activity was characterized by a V_max of 51.5 ± 1.3 U mg^-1 min^-1 and a K_M of 1.64 ± 0.18 mM ortho-phenylenediamine (OPD), whereas blood-borne peroxidase was characterized by a 1,000 fold higher specific activity (V_max = 30.5 103 ± 2.5 103 U mg^-1 min^-1) and a higher affinity (K_M = 0.875 ± 0.003 mM OPD). Polyclonal antibodies were raised against concanavalin-A purified skin peroxidase as well as blood-borne peroxidase. Immunocytochemical labelling showed that peroxidase is present in mucous cells and in mucus covering the skin and gill epithelia, as well as in erythrocytes and leucocytes. We conclude that the mucous cells of the skin produce a biochemically distinct peroxidase that is released in the mucus and may contribute to the antimicrobial properties of the mucous layer covering the skin. After exposure of the fish to cadmium the kinetic characteristics of the enzyme activity, as determined in skin homogenates, changed considerably. The V_max increased significantly to 61.9 ± 1.1 U mg^-1 min^-1, and the affinity for OPD increased to the value demonstrated for blood-borne peroxidase (K_M = 0.888 ± 0.045 mM OPD). Increased peroxidase levels after cadmium exposure were also demonstrated immunochemically in a dotblot assay. However, no significant changes were observed when the circulatory system of the fish was perfused prior to sampling, indicating that erythrocytes are a major contributor to the increased peroxidase activity in carp skin during cadmium exposure. This likely reflects the increased vascularization of the connective tissue layer underlying the skin epithelium, which takes place when the fish are exposed to chronic stressors including cadmium. In the cadmium-exposed fish this effect prevented the biochemical detection of stressor-related changes in epithelial peroxidase reported earlier with cytochemical methods.     

利用TRAP标记分析8个福瑞鲤家系的遗传多样性

为了研究福瑞鲤不同家系的遗传多样性,利用TRAP分子标记对生长速度有差异的家系(4个生长速度快,4个生长速度慢)进行了遗传分析。结果显示:8个家系的多态性条带数在9.41至12.00之间,多态性比率范围为52.04%~66.02%,多态信息含量为0.185 3~0.243 0,Nei遗传多样指数和Shannon信息指数分别为0.187 5~0.241 0和0.278 0~0.351 0,其中家系85#的各遗传参数值最高,而家系74#的最低。家系间的遗传分化指数(Fst)及分子变异方差(AMOVA)分析结果显示,除了家系56#与92#(Fst=0.051 6)及51#与89#(Fst=0.095 6)这2对家系间处于中等程度的遗传分化(0.05≤Fst≤0.15)之外,其他家系间遗传分化水平均较低(Fst0.05),群体的总遗传变异主要来源于家系内个体间的遗传差异,其方差分量的贡献率达98.3%。遗传距离分析结果表明,家系26#与92#的遗传距离最大,家系85#与89#的遗传距离最小;基于此的UPGMA聚类分析结果显示,家系56#与74#以及家系85#与89#的亲缘关系比较近,聚类在同一分支上,而其他家系亲缘关系相对较远。研究结果说明8个福瑞鲤家系内遗传变异较大,遗传多样性水平较高,具有一定的育种潜力,可扩大福瑞鲤的选育空间。