Behavioural studies on the lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus (Raitt) I. The effect of food availability on activity and the role of olfaction in food detection

The behaviour of the lesser sandeel, Ammodytes marinus (Raitt), has been investigated using a photographic method of recording activity. Three main states of activity were recognized: (1) swimming, (2) partially emerged from the sand, or (3) completely buried in the sand. When food was present there was a basic diurnal rhythm of activity; during the dark period most of the fish remained buried in the sand and in the light period they emerged to swim and feed. In the absence of food the level of swimming activity during the light period was extremely low, while the level of partial emergence activity increased. The fish appear to be visual feeders and those which were buried in the sand did not appear to be able to detect the presence of food in the water by means of olfaction. There was usually a low level of partial emergence activity during the dark period, which tended to increase in the few hours before the lights were switched on. The timing of this increase was thought to be related to an internal clock. The basic diurnal rhythm of activity shown in the laboratory experiments is discussed in relation to the marked diurnal variation in the catch of sandeels in the fishery. It is concluded that the failure to catch sandeels at night is due to their remaining buried in the sand.     

Behavioural studies on the lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus (Raitt) II. The effect of light intensity on activity

The behaviour of the lesser sandeel, Ammodytes marinus (Raitt), has been investigated at light intensities of 1, 10, 100 and 1000 lux, using a photographic method of recording activity. The level of swimming activity was high at 1000 and 100 lux, declining to a very low level at 1 lux. It was concluded that this was due to the limiting effect of light on feeding. The threshold light intensity for swimming activity in the tank was estimated as being approximately 20 lux but it was considered that in the area of the sandeel fishing grounds the threshold might be higher than this, in the region of 100 lux. The number of hours light per day above 20 and 100 lux at a depth of 15 m in the area of the Outer Dowsing sandbank (53°30'N, 01°00'E) was estimated for the various months of the year. It was shown that during the winter the light intensity does not normally reach 100 lux and only exceeds 20 lux for a few hours each day. It is suggested that this could limit swimming activity and accessibility at this time of year. Measurements were made of the penetration of light into sand and it was concluded that fish which are buried might be able to detect light, possibly via the pineal gland.     

Seasonal effects of pinealectomy on testicular recrudescence and secretory activity of seminal vesicles in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

The effects of pinealectomy on testicular activity and secretory activity of seminal vesicles were examined in the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis under various combinations of photoperiod and temperature during different periods of the annual reproductive cycle. Pinealectomy had no effect on gonadal activity during the preparatory, prespawning and spawning periods of the reproductive cycle. However, during the postspawning period, under long (LD 14:10) or short (LD 9:15) photoperiod at 25° C or at gradually increasing ambient temperature, pinealectomy accelerated testicular recrudescence and secretory activity of the seminal vesicles. Nevertheless. during this period the presence of the pineal facilitated the recrudescence of testes and seminal vesicles in catfish exposed to continuous light (LL), continuous darkness (DD) and 12 hL:l2 hD (LD) at 25° C. These findings suggest that the role of the pineal in catfish reproduction is variable and depends upon the photoperiod and temperature regimes to which the fish are exposed, as well as on the time of the year and the state of the reproductive cycle. The results also suggest that the effects of pinealectomy in catfish are mediated through an influence on the hypothalamo-hypophyseal gonadal axis.     

Growth, pigmentation and activity of juvenile Japanese eels in relation to temperature and fish size

The growth and activity of juvenile Japanese eels Anguilla japonica in different pigmentation stages from the glass eel to the elver stage were studied in the laboratory at 15, 20 and 25° C. The growth and activity of the eels were significantly influenced by both temperature and fish size. Growth rate generally declined with increasing fish size, and fish were least active and experienced a low growth during the pigmenting stage at all temperatures. They were nocturnal and spent significantly more time moving (swimming, feeding and moving over the substratum) at 20 and 25° C than at 15° C at night within each pigmentation stage. Accordingly, they grew significantly faster at 20 and 25° C than at 15° C throughout the study. The development of pigmentation appeared to be dependant on water temperature but not on fish size. This study suggested that the growth and activity of juvenile Japanese eels were positively correlated, because fish were least active and grew slowest at low temperature (15° C) or during the pigmenting stage at all temperatures.     

The link between migration, the reproductive cycle and condition of Sardinella aurita off Mauritania, north-west Africa

The annual migration pattern of round sardinella Sardinella aurita up and down the north-western African coast between 12° N (Senegal) and 22° N (western Sahara) was shown to be associated with spawning activity and a distinct seasonality in fish condition, based on monthly sampling from commercial catches (2000–2003). Some S. aurita were found to spawn throughout the entire year, but a peak in spawning existed during the summer (June to September). The spawning cycle is apparent from seasonality in maturity stages, but is also demonstrated by the increase in gonad mass and fat content of the fish in springtime, the period preceding spawning. During the months after spawning, although feeding is maintained, the physical condition of the fish collapses, and fat content rapidly declines.     

Effects of temperature on allocation of metabolic energy in perch (Perca fluviatilis) fed submaximal rations

Growth and long-term trends of oxygen consumption were monitored at 15 and 20° C in spontaneously swimming juvenile perch fed a fixed daily submaximal ration. The average rate as well as the efficiency of assimilation were the same at the two temperatures but a much higher proportion of food energy was allocated to activity and maintenance, and a correspondingly lower proportion to growth, at 20 than at 15° C. By computing average specific rates of oxygen consumption separately for all light and dark periods, it was found that at 20, but not at 15° C, the' scope for spontaneous activity' of two consecutive (dark and light) phases of a diurnal cycle was indirectly proportional to the average rate of oxygen consumption in the dark phase. This indicates that at 20° C the perch displayed partial compensation for a high metabolic rate in the dark by reducing swimming activity in the following light phase. However, the overall effect of this behaviour was probably too small to make a noticeable impact on the low conversion efficiency in the juvenile perch at 20 as compared to 15° C.     

Thermoregulatory behaviour, diel activity and the relationship of spontaneous locomotor activity to temperature in the sea raven, Hemitripterus americanus (Gmelin)

Twelve sea ravens, Hemitripterus americanus , were tested individually for three day periods in electronic shuttleboxes to measure their preferred and avoided temperatures, diel activity pattern and relationship of activity to temperature. The fish avoided temperatures below 9°C or above 25°C, preferring temperatures with a central tendency of 15–17°C. The fish were primarily nocturnal, being more active at night than by day. Locomotor activity increased eightfold between 10 and 20°C, but exhibited an anomalous decrease between 14 and 18°C, corresponding to the preferred-temperature zone, characteristic of maximal summer temperatures in the natural habitat.     

Alterations to the swimming performance of carp, Cyprinus carpio, as a result of temperature acclimation

Groups of common carp were acclimated to either 10°C or 28°C for 6 weeks. Fish were then exercised at 10°C or 20°C, and the critical swimming speed (fatigue velocity) was measured. At 10°C, cold-acclimated carp were capable of significantly higher swimming speeds. When exercised at 20°C. however, the situation was reversed, and warm-acclimated carp exhibited improved swimming ability. These results provide direct evidence that acclimation of the contractile proteins is beneficial across a wide temperature range. Following acclimation to low environmental temperatures the critical swimming speed exhibited a Q₁₀ of only 1.1 for the temperature range 10–20°C. compared to a value of 2.9 for fish acclimated to the higher temperature.     

Size-selective overwintering mortality in the sand smelt, Atherina boyeri Risso, and its role in population regulation

The fat laid down as a winter reserve by O-group sand smelt, Atherina boyeri , was found to be size-dependent. The larger, earlier-spawned fish lay down more fat prior to the onset of winter. During the winter the fish do not feed for some 100 days and rely on this fat for energy; laterspawned O-group fish (<59 mm s.l. in November) have insufficient fat reserves and starve to death in a normal winter. This loss of the smallest 46% of the O-group is shown as an increase in the mean size of the O-group over the winter period. Older sand smelt age classes have more than sufficient fat reserves for overwintering. There is thus a clear advantage in spawning early in the season, and any restriction on spawning ground availability at that time will result in overall population regulation. This conclusion supports the hypothesis that the density-dependent control on population size in the sand smelt is a limitation on the number of fish which can spawn at the optimum time.     

Thermally induced phenotypic plasticity of swimming performance in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax juveniles

The vulnerability of embryonic and larval stages of European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax to environmental temperature and the longer-term consequences for the early juveniles was demonstrated. This phenotypic plasticity was highlighted by subjecting D. labrax at 15·2 ± 0·3 or 20·0 ± 0·4° C (mean ± s . d .) up to metamorphosis and then at the same temperature (18·5 ± 0·7° C). After 4–6 weeks at the same temperature, the measurement of critical swimming speed at four exercise temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 28° C) showed a significantly higher swimming capacity in the fish initially reared at 15° C than for fish initially reared at 20° C. This performance was correlated with significant differences in the phenotype of red muscle. Thermally induced phenotypic plasticity was clearly demonstrated as an important mechanism controlling swimming performance in early juveniles of D. labrax .     

Electromyograms from radiotelemetry as indicators of reproductive activity in lake trout

One male and one female lake trout, Salvelinus namaycush , were held in a laboratory tank simulating a natural spawning environment. Their behaviour during their reproductive period was videotaped each day for 2 h at dusk. The fish activities were classified into seven types: resting, casual swimming, side-thrusting, chase, chase-nudge, body alignment, shuddering. As the reproductive period progressed the fish became more generally active with a marked increase in interactive behaviours such as pursuit of the female by the male (chasing, chasing-nudging). Around spawning time, shuddering and body alignment activity reached apeak. Each fish was equipped with an internally implanted radiotelemetry package able to detect and transmit continuously over the course of each day signals that reflect production of the electromyograms (EMGs) that accompany fish axial muscle activity (high muscular activity gives low pulse interval times in milliseconds). The lowest EMG pulse intervals corresponded with what, from the video records, appeared to be the time of highest physical activity during the reproductive period–viz. that associated with spawning activity during dusk. Other times during the diel cycles over the reproductive period, except for times of roughly similar duration during early morning (which may also be reflections of spawning) showed considerably lower muscular activity. It is concluded that transmitted EMG records could probably be used as indicators of spawning activity of lake trout in at least some of those places in the field where they cannot normally be located by visual means.     

Some environmental factors ifluencing the activity of spermatozoa of Mugil capito Cuvier, a grey mullet

The period of activity of mullet spermatozoa suspended in seawater was similar to that of sperm suspended in osmolar equivalent dextrose solution or artificially prepared seawater. Sperm activity was longest in solutions of pH and osmolarity closely approaching that of normal seawater. Temperatures lower than those at which spawning normally occurs greatly increased the period of activity. Undiluted milt stored at 10° C couid be activated by the addition of seawater for a period of 36 h.     

The critical swimming speed of the sand smelt (Atherina presbyter Cuvier) in relation to capture at a power station cooling water intake

Critical swimming speeds (CSS) of sand smelt, Atherina presbyter , were measured in a laboratory flume. Individuals of all age classes (0+ to III +) found in the vicinity of Fawley power station, Hampshire, were tested at temperatures covering the seasonal range. The median CSS was 2.7 body lengths per second (bl s⁻¹) at 5.8 °C, rising to 5.7 bl s⁻¹ at 18.5°C.
A two-variable (water temperature and body length) regression model was fitted to the data, and this was used to assess escape potential of fish coming into contact with the power station cooling water intake currents and the extent of possible bias in fish length data collected from this source. It is concluded that the sand smelt remains vulnerable to entrainment at the power station over its whole length range and over the full range of seasonal temperatures and that size-dependent swimming performance will not lead to significant bias in sample length distributions.     

Effects of temperature, hypoxia and activity on the metabolism of juvenile Atlantic cod

Standard metabolic rate (SMR), active metabolic rate (AMR) and critical oxygen saturation ( S_crit ) were measured in Atlantic cod Gadus morhua at 5, 10 and 15° C. The SMR was 35.5, 57.0 and 78.2 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ and S_crit was 16.5, 23.2 and 30.3%, at 5, 10 and 15° C, respectively. Previously reported SMR for Atlantic cod from arctic waters at 4° C was twice that measured at 5° C in the present study. A possible intraspecific latitudinal difference in the SMR is discussed. The AMR was 146.6, 197.9 and 200.4 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ and the critical swimming speed ( U_crit ) was 1 6, 1.7 and 1.9 at 5, 10 and 15° C, respectively. The maximum oxygen consumption was found to be associated with exercise, rather than recovery from exercise as previously reported in another Study of Cod metabolism.     

Studies of the biology of the lesser weever fish, Trachinus vipera Cuvier II. Distribution

The distribution of Trachinus vipera , worldwide and around the British coast, is summarised. Field observations indicate that the fish occurs throughout the intertidal zone; is more active at low light intensities, and can survive the low tide period buried in the intertidal sand; can tolerate salinities as low as 19%0, for short periods; exhibits a tidal periodicity, is more active on the flood tide than the ebb tide; moves into deeper warmer water in winter, the extent.of the movement being temperature dependent. The critical temperature initiating this movement is probably 5deg; C. The fish is not available for capture in cold weather, because it may be hibernating, buried in the sand.     

The histopathology of salmon tagging

Hatchery reared Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) parr were tagged with the standard I.C.E.S./I.C.N.A.F. salmon tag at water temperatures of 15°C and 6°C. They were then subjected to swimming trials in a tunnel respirometer. Following this treatment the 15°C fish developed necrotic infarcts around the tag insertions. Provided they did not become infected these lesions healed, but if the fish were retested 9 days later, the wound enlarged, became extremely inflamed, and the fish died soon after. This effect was not seen in 6°C fish.     

Precocious ovarian recrudescence and induced off–season spawning of Heteropneustes fossilis by D-Lys6 salmon gonadotropin releasing hormone analog (sGnRH-A)

The feasibility of photothermal treatment and use of salmon gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue (sGnRH-A) for induced spawning of Heteropneustes fossilis outside the spawning season was investigated. Fish were maintained at 30° C and 14 h light (L)/10 h dark (D) for 60 days between the post-spawning season and preparatory season. Fish attained gonadal maturity 4 months earlier compared to the natural spawning season. Mature fish were induced to spawn by D-Lys⁶ sGnRH-A at a dose of 25 μg kg⁻¹ body weight. The eggs obtained were fertilizable. Injection of D-Lys⁶ sGnRH-A at different time points during the photodiurnal cycle did not influence the latency period and spawning of H. fossilis .     

Endurance swimming of European eel

A long‐term swim trial was performed with five female silver eels Anguilla anguilla of 0·8–1·0 kg ( c . 80 cm total length, L _T) swimming at 0·5 body lengths (BL) s⁻¹, corresponding to the mean swimming speed during spawning migration. The design of the Blazka‐type swim tunnel was significantly improved, and for the first time the flow pattern of a swim tunnel for fish was evaluated with the Laser‐Doppler method. The velocity profile over three different cross‐sections was determined. It was observed that 80% of the water velocity drop‐off occurred over a boundary layer of 20 mm. Therefore, swim velocity errors were negligible as the eels always swam outside this layer. The fish were able to swim continuously day and night during a period of 3 months in the swim tunnel through which fresh water at 19° C was passed. The oxygen consumption rates remained stable at 36·9 ± 2·9 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹ over the 3 months swimming period for all tested eels. The mean cost of transportation was 28·2 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ km⁻¹. From the total energy consumption the calculated decline in fat content was 30%. When extrapolating to 6000 km this would have been 60%, leaving only 40% of the total energy reserves for reproduction after arriving at the spawning site. Therefore low cost of transport combined with high fat content are crucial for the capacity of the eel to cross the Atlantic Ocean and reproduce.     

Effects on temperature on spontaneous and thyroxine-stimulated locomotor activity of Atlantic cod

Spontaneous locomotor activity of cod Gadus morhua maintained at 6° C tripled from February to May. In contrast, locomotor activity of cod held at 2° C was significantly lower than at 6° C (between 25 and 65% lower) and the seasonal increase was smaller. Plasma levels of both thyroxine (T₄) and triiodothyronine (T₃) did not differ between 2 and 6° C. T₄ injection increased locomotor activity by 10% for both temperature regimes. These data indicate that low water temperature reduces locomotor activity associated with migration in cod and that thyroid hormones are not involved in this decrease. This study provides a possible mechanism through which cold waters may affects migration and distribution of cod via its Effects on locomotor activity and swimming speed.     

Oriented swimming at an angle to light in a schooling characid, Moenkhausia dichrowa Kner

Two groups each of approximately 100 Moenkhausia dichroua , a schooling characid, showed a long–lasting, constant–oriented swimming when placed in a light–centred circular channel. This apparatus consists of a 1–m diameter circular channel illuminated by either a central or a peripheral light system, so that the light angle is constant all around the channel. With the central light at a fixed angle, fish swam for several months in one direction and reversed direction at a certain date. When the light angle was increased by 10° every other day between 0° (horizontal) and 90° (vertical), swimming direction was reversed at a particular angle in each experiment. This response to artificial light suggests that this small schooling fish uses the sun as an orientation clue in its seasonal migrations.