Influence of Stocking Density on Growth Performance,Antioxidant Status,and Physiological Response of Juvenile Turbot,Scophthalmus maximu,Reared in Land‐based Recirculating Aquaculture System

This study aimed to assess the effects of stocking density on the growth, antioxidant status, and physiological response of juvenile turbot. Turbot (average initial weight 70.0 ± 5 g) were reared at three different initial densities (low density LD], 5.13 ± 0.03 kg/m²; medium density MD], 7.71 ± 0.11 kg/m²; and high density HD], 10.8 ± 0.12 kg/m²) for 80 d. At the end of this trial, the final densities were 13.2 ± 0.10, 19.9 ± 0.15, and 25.7 ± 0.12 kg/m² in the LD, MD, and HD groups, respectively. The growth performances were adversely influenced by a high stocking density. Levels of cortisol, glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, glutamate pyruvate transaminase, and glutamate oxalate transaminase in the plasma significantly increased in HD treatment. Results of oxidative stress analyses showed that there was a clear decrease in superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, glutathione, and total antioxidant capacity, and an obvious increase in malondialdehyde in plasma and/or liver of turbot reared in HD group (P < 0.05). Overall, the results indicated that increasing stocking density reduced the growth performance, modulated the physiological response, and induced oxidative stress in turbot.