Oxygen consumption, ammonia excretion and protein use in response to thermal changes in juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

Experiments were designed to examine the effects of various temperature challenges on oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates and protein utilization in juvenile Atlantic salmon Salmo salar . Fish acclimated to 15° C were acutely and abruptly exposed to either 20 or 25° C for a period of 3 h. To simulate a more environmentally relevant temperature challenge, a third group of fish was exposed to a gradual increase in temperature from 15 to 20° C over a period of 3 h ( c. 1·7° C h⁻¹). Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion rates were monitored before, during and after the temperature shift. From the ammonia excretion and oxygen consumption rates, protein utilization rates were calculated. Acute temperature changes (15–20° C or 15–25° C) caused large and immediate increases in the oxygen consumption rates. When the temperature was gradually changed ( i.e. 1·7° C h⁻¹), however, the rates of oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion were only marginally altered. When fish were exposed to warmer temperatures ( i.e. 15–20° C or 15–25° C) protein use generally remained at pre-exposure (15° C) levels. A rapid transfer back to 15° C (20–15° C or 25–15° C) generally increased protein use in S. salar . These results indicate that both the magnitude and the rate of temperature change are important in describing the physiological response in juvenile salmonids.     

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 growth of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides (Lacepede), under constant and fluctuating temperatures

Growth of largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides , was tested under constant (15° C, 29° C) and cyclic (18 h at 15°C, 6 h at 29° C) temperature conditions. Six groups of 10 fish each were tested; one group under each constant condition, and four groups in the thermocycles. The four latter groups differed in the timing of their feeding; one group each was fed at the start and middle of the warm and cool periods, respectively. All groups were fed to near-satiation. The fish fed at the start of the warm cycle and start cool group grew most rapidly, followed by the constant warm, mid warm, mid cool, and constant cool groups. These data were evaluated in relation to vertical migrations of fish to test the physiological enhancements that may be important to vertical migrations. Apparently thermocycles allow more rapid consumption of food than constant cool conditions and lower metabolic rates than constant warm conditions, which allows some fish to grow more rapidly under thermocycles than under constant conditions at either extreme of the cycle. However, the timing of feeding in relation to temperature in the thermocycle is important in the degree of growth enhancement.     

Temperature- and salinity-dependent development of a Nordic strain of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis from rainbow trout

During the twentieth century evidence was presented which suggested the presence of various strains and races of the parasite Ichthyophthirius multifiliis Fouquet. However, ecological profiles of various parasite isolates from different climatic zones are sparse. Such stringent characterizations of parasite development at defined abiotic conditions could provide valuable criteria for the different races; profile comparison from various localities is one way to differentiate these strains. Baseline investigations were therefore performed on the associations between abiotic factors (temperature/salinity) and the development of theronts in tomocysts of I. multifiliis isolated from rainbow trout in a Danish trout farm. It was shown that tomocyst formation and theront development took place between 5 and 30°C. Development rates and sizes of theronts were clearly affected by temperature: theronts escaped tomocysts already after 16–27 h at 25°C and 30°C, whereas this process took 8–9 days at 5°C. Likewise, theront size decreased steadily from a maximum of 57.4 × 28.6 μm at 5°C to 28.6 × 20.0 μm at 30°C. This size variation was only partly associated with the number of theronts that appeared at different temperatures. The lowest number of theronts escaping from one tomocyst was indeed found at 5–7°C (mean 329–413). At 11.6, 17.0 and 21°C, the highest number of theronts appeared (mean 546–642). However, at 25 and 30°C, the number decreased (458 and 424, respectively). Additional studies on the salinity dependent development of the parasite (at 11.6°C) showed that salinities above 5 p.p.t. totally inhibited development. Even at 5 p.p.t. the developmental time significantly increased and the number of theronts produced from one tomocyst decreased.     

Behavioural studies on the lesser sandeel Ammodytes marinus (Raitt) III. The effect of temperature on activity and the environmental control of the annual cycle of activity

The behaviour of the lesser sandeel, Ammodytes marinus (Raitt), has been investigated at 5, 10 and 15° C, using a photographic method of recording activity. The activity patterns at 10 and 15° C were very similar, there being a high level of swimming activity during the light period, which fell to a low level at 5° C. It was also lower at 10° C at the end of the experiment than at the beginning and it is suggested that this might have been due to an increase in the fat contents of the fish. The feeding rate of the fish was measured and showed a Q ₁₀ of 2.08 for the temperature range 5–15° C. The annual cycle of activity of A. marinus is discussed in relation to seasonal changes in food availability, light and temperature, and in the fat content of the fish. It is concluded that after spawning in the December–January period the fish remain buried in the sand until April, because of the limiting effect on swimming and feeding activity of the environmental factors in the intervening period. The proportion of fish available for capture at the start of the fishery in April is related mainly to temperature, but food (as measured by numbers of copepods) light intensity and photoperiod are by then increasing rapidly. After July the fishery ceases and it is thought that this is because the fish have entered an overwintering stage, during which they remain buried in the sand. This phase is also thought to be associated with the maturation of the gonads in readiness for the winter spawning. The factors causing the fish to enter this stage are as yet undetermined but may be related to the attainment of a certain level of fat content.     

Energetic costs at different levels of feeding in juvenile cod, Gadus morhua L.

The energetic costs associated with feeding by juvenile cod were determined by means of an open-circuit respirometer. Fish acclimated to several temperatures (7, 10, 15 and 18°C) were kept at natural lighting levels, and fed inside their individual respirometers. They consumed a diet compounded from natural foods, at five different ration levels, their oxygen consumption being monitored continually over an 11–16 day period.
After each meal the rate of oxygen consumption increased to above the pre-feeding level, reaching a peak 8–10 h later. With each successive meal the oxygen consumption showed a cumulative increase, reaching a maximum usually after the last meal.
The elevation in metabolic rate associated with feeding was dependent upon ration size, increasing linearly as the food intake increased. The effect was also dependent upon temperature; for fish fed to satiation the total energy cost was equivalent to 11.9, 10.9, 16.4 and 17.1% of the ingested energy at 7, 10, 15 and 18°C respectively. For resting satiated fish the rate of oxygen consumption was close to the maximum rate for active fish.     

The influence of environmental temperature and oxygen concentration on the recovery of largemouth bass from exercise: implications for live–release angling tournaments

The impact of variation in water temperature and dissolved oxygen on recovery of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides from exercise was examined. For this, largemouth bass were first exercised and recovered for either 1, 2 or 4 h at ambient water temperatures (25° C) in fully oxygenated water. Results showed that exercise forced fish to utilize anaerobic metabolism to meet energy demands, and resulted in reductions in anaerobic energy stores adenosine triphosphate (ATP), Phosphocreatine (PCr) and glycogen. Exercise also resulted in a seven‐fold increase in lactate within white muscle. After 2 h of recovery in oxygenated water at acclimation temperature, physiological recovery from exercise was under way, and by 4 h most variables examined had returned to control levels. Next, largemouth bass were exercised at ambient temperatures and recovered for 2 h in environments with either elevated temperature (32° C), reduced temperature (14 and 20° C), hypoxia or hyperoxia. Both elevated and reduced temperature impaired recovery of tissue lactate and tissue ATP relative to fish recovered in water at acclimation temperature, while hyperoxic water impaired recovery of tissue ATP. Moderately hypoxic waters impaired the recovery of plasma glucose, plasma lactate and tissue PCr relative to fish recovered in fully oxygenated water. Results from this study are discussed in the context of critical oxygen and temperature guidelines for largemouth bass. In addition, several recommendations are made concerning remedial treatments used in livewells (tanks) during angling tournaments when fish are recovering from exercise associated with angling.     

A radiographic estimation of the effect of temperature on gastric emptying time in Sarotherodon niloticus (L) × S. aureus (Steindachner) hybrids

A radiographic technique was used to determine temperature effects on gastric emptying time in S. niloticus/aureus hybrids. Stomach evacuation times for 30 g fish fed 3% of their body weight were 8.5 h at 30° C, 10.8 h at 25° C and 16.4 h at 20° C. Hence, there was a negative correlation between stomach evacuation time and temperature. The Q ₁₀ between 20 and 30° C was calculated to be 1.92. Similar relationships were found for intestinal evacuation and total evacuation.
The data were used to estimate maximum daily feed intake levels of fish within the size range studied. Levels for 30 g fish were 8.5% body weight at 30° C, 6.6% at 25° C and 4.4% at 20° C. However, the optimum feeding regime should take account of the feeding behaviour of the animals.     

Experimental infections with the tropical monogenean,Gyrodactylus bullatarudis: Potential invader or experimental fluke?

Introduced exotic species have the potential to spread their associated parasites to native species which can be catastrophic if these hosts are immunologically naïve to the novel parasite. The guppy (Poecilia reticulata) has been disseminated worldwide outside of its native habitat and therefore could be an important source of infection to native fish species. Its parasite fauna is dominated by the ectoparasitic monogeneans, Gyrodactylus turnbulli and Gyrodactylus bullatarudis. The current study tested the host specificity of G. bullatarudis by experimentally infecting a range of isolated fish hosts, including temperate species. Surprisingly, the parasite was capable of establishing and reproducing, for several days, on the three-spined stickleback when transferred directly to this host. We also established that G. bullatarudis could be transmitted under aquarium conditions at both 25 °C and 15 °C. At the higher temperature, the parasite was even capable of reproducing on this atypical host. The implications of these findings are discussed in terms of host specificity, host switching and climate change.     

The response of trout red cells to adrenaline during seasonal acclimation and changes in temperature

Adult rainbow trout were acclimated to three different temperature and photoperiod regimes: 17°C, 14 h light: 10 h dark (summer); 7° C, 14 h light: 10 h dark; and 5° C, 8 h light: 16 h dark (winter). Blood was collected from these fish after 40 days acclimation, and the response of red blood cells to in vitro adrenergic stimulation was assessed. To examine potential seasonal variations in endogenous levels of circulating catecholamines, plasma levels of adrenaline (Ad) and noradrenaline (NAd) were measured at rest and after exercise. At rest, there were no differences between groups in plasma levels of either Ad or NAd, but, after exercise, the pattern of catecholamine elevation differed. In fish acclimated to 17 and 7° C in summer, Ad and NAd increased by about the same amount (10–15 times). In fish acclimated to 5° C in winter, NAd increased about three-fold, compared to the near 50-fold increase in Ad levels. Whether this difference between groups can be attributed to seasonal influences is unclear. At both low (0·5%) and high (2%) PCO ₂, adrenergic stimulation (2 × 10^-7 M Ad) of trout red cells in vitro led to a significant reduction in MCHC (mean cell [haemoglobin]), compared to non-stimulated cells. However, only at the high PCO ₂ were pHe and red cell pHi significantly different from those in the non-stimulated cells: the latter was higher and the former lower in the stimulated cells. There were no differences in the response of red cells to adrenergic stimulation between groups of fish. Under the conditions of the present study no influence of season and/or temperature on the in vitro response of trout red cells to adrenergic stimulation was shown.     

Toxicity of crude extracellular products of Aeromonas hydrophila in tilapia, Tilapianilotica

Extracellular products (ECP) secreted from Aeromonas hydrophila with haemolytic andproteolytic activity were studied with respect to temperature and time of incubation as well as thelethal toxicity on tilapia, Tilapia nilotica . The highest production of the haemolysin productwas achieved when Aer. hydrophila was grown at 35°C for 30 h. Tilapia erythrocytewas found to be more susceptible than sheep erythrocyte for determining the haemolytic activity.The haemolytic activity against tilapia erythrocyte was completely inactivated after heating theECP at 60°C for 10 min or 55°C for 15 min. The proteolytic activity was maximized whenthe bacterium was grown at 30°C for 36 h. Complete inactivation of the protease enzyme wasperformed after heating the ECP at 80°C for 10 min or 70°C for 15 min. Aeromonashydrophila was found to produce haemolytic and proteolytic exotoxin lethal to tilapia (LD₅₀ 2·1 × 10⁴ cell/fish), as well as heat stable unknown virulent factors thatwere responsible for 20% mortality. The lethality of ECP was decreased by heating andcompletely inactivated by boiling at 100°C for 10 min.     

Insights into fish host-parasite trophic relationships revealed by stable isotope analysis

Trophic relationships between 10 species of fish host and their associated nematode, cestode, and copepod parasites were investigated using stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Nematodes and cestodes were consistently depleted in 15N with respect to their host, and such fractionation patterns are unlike those conventionally observed between consumers and their diets. Species of copepod parasite were sometimes depleted and sometimes enriched in 15N with respect to fish hosts, and this confirms earlier reports that the nature and magnitude of ectoparasite-host fractionations can vary. Significant differences in delta15N and delta13C were observed among fish tissues, and the isotopic signature of parasites did not always closely correspond to that of the tissue with which the parasite was found most closely associated, or on which the parasite was thought to be feeding. Several possible explanations are considered for such discrepancies, including selective feeding on specific amino acids or lipids, migration of the parasite among different fish tissues, changes in the metabolism of the parasite associated with life history and migration between different host animals.     

The fecundity, development and host relationships of Ceratobaeus spp. (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), parasites of spider eggs

Abstract. 1. Ceratobaeus spp. enter the nest of their host spider and oviposit into eggs through the thin silk eggsac.
2. Temperatures below 15° C limit oviposition by slowing parasites down.
3. Males emerge prior to females and mate with their sibs. Sex ratios of 6.6–6.0:1 in favour of females were observed in the field and laboratory for two species.
4. Even though females can oviposit almost immediately after emergence their full complement of eggs (= 65) is not reached until several days later.
5. Superparasitism is low and appears to occur from subsequent accidental ovipositions. No marking of the external surface of hosts was observed.
6. Parasites overwinter as adults under bark. They do not feed as adults nor do they reabsorb their eggs, but rather oviposit as soon as host eggs become available in spring.
7. Successful oviposition occurs in later stages of host eggs reared at 15° C and 20° C than it does at 25°C. Different rates of development between host and parasite is proposed as an explanation for this phenomenon.
8. The species studied show varying degrees of specificity but each has a dominant host. Location of hosts involves cues from the habitat (bark), silk nests of spiders, and some factor associated with host eggs.     

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 .     

Haematocrit values in feral goldfish, Camssius auratus L., as indicators of the health of the population

Haematocrits were measured in goldfish, Carassius auratus L., collected in early spring and late summer from two locations in southern Ontario, Canada. At one location (Hamilton Harbour) the goldfish population suffered an epizootic of haemorrhagic lesions resulting in chronic anaemia, and at the second location (Cambridge) the goldfish population was disease-free; haematocrits of the feral fish were compared with values obtained from a commercial breeding stock (CBS), and with published haematocrit values for cyprinid fish. Haematocrits in males were larger than in females in all collections of feral fish except spring-caught (7–15°C ambient temperature) fish from Cambridge; no sex differences were evident in the immature CBS fish. Haematocrits were higher in feral female goldfish collected from higher ambient temperatures (15–25°C) than in comparable fish collected from lower ambient temperatures (4–15°C) at both collection sites, and also in males collected from Cambridge. Conversely, the haematocrit in the CBS fish was significantly decreased in fish transferred from 12 to 21°C. Haematocrits of the healthy (Cambridge) population were significantly larger than in comparable fish from Hamilton Harbour.     

Pathological and ecological host consequences of infection by an introduced fish parasite

The infection consequences of the introduced cestode fish parasite Bothriocephalus acheilognathi were studied in a cohort of wild, young-of-the-year common carp Cyprinus carpio that lacked co-evolution with the parasite. Within the cohort, parasite prevalence was 42% and parasite burdens were up to 12% body weight. Pathological changes within the intestinal tract of parasitized carp included distension of the gut wall, epithelial compression and degeneration, pressure necrosis and varied inflammatory changes. These were most pronounced in regions containing the largest proportion of mature proglottids. Although the body lengths of parasitized and non-parasitized fish were not significantly different, parasitized fish were of lower body condition and reduced weight compared to non-parasitized conspecifics. Stable isotope analysis (δ(15)N and δ(13)C) revealed trophic impacts associated with infection, particularly for δ(15)N where values for parasitized fish were significantly reduced as their parasite burden increased. In a controlled aquarium environment where the fish were fed ad libitum on an identical food source, there was no significant difference in values of δ(15)N and δ(13)C between parasitized and non-parasitized fish. The growth consequences remained, however, with parasitized fish growing significantly slower than non-parasitized fish, with their feeding rate (items s(-1)) also significantly lower. Thus, infection by an introduced parasite had multiple pathological, ecological and trophic impacts on a host with no experience of the parasite.     

Stress and survival of small pike-perch Sander lucioperca (L.) after trawling and chilling

The mortality and stress responses (plasma cortisol concentration) of undersized (total length, L _T, <370 mm) pike-perch Sander lucioperca caught as by-catch in a trawl fishery were assessed. The effects of three different holding methods on pike-perch caught by trawl were compared: (1) fish that were transferred to ambient-temperature water (15·0–21·4° C) immediately after capture and not exposed to chilling water, (2) fish held in chilling water for 10 min and (3) fish exposed to chilling water for 2 h. The sample fish were held and monitored in individual plastic restrainers at ambient-water temperature for 48 h after each of the handling procedures. Total mortality was similar for fish held in chilling tanks for 10 min (27·2% total mortality) compared to fish that were only held in ambient-temperature water (28·2% mortality). Total mortality reached 91·3% when fish were held in chilled water for 2 h. Mortality and plasma cortisol concentrations correlated inversely with size (96–368 mm L _T) and directly with lake-water temperature (15·0–21·4° C) after treatment. In addition, the effect of chilling was observed in elevated cortisol concentration and delayed start of recovery. The results show that quickly removing (<10 min) undersized pike-perch from chilled water could markedly improve the survival of released fish. Due to delayed recovery, however, fish should be allowed to recover (30–40 min) in a deck tank before release.     

Ventilation frequency compensation responses of three eurythermal estuarine fish exposed to moderate temperature increases

Ventilation frequency patterns of Trinectes maculatus, Morone americana and Leiostomus xanthurus were used to evaluate potential thermal stress after exposure to moderate temperature increases. Fish acclimated to 5°, 15° and 25° C were exposed to a 5°C T; fish acclimated to 30° C were exposed to a 2.5° C A T. Ventilation frequencies were measured at each acclimation temperature before the fishes were exposed over a 15-min period to the increased temperatures. Ventilation rates were then measured at the elevated temperatures for the next 24 h. Significant increases in rate frequency occurred after the temperature increases in T. maculatus and M. Americana acclimated to 5°, 15° and 25° C and in L. xanthurus acclimated to 15°, 25° and 30°C. In general, rate frequencies increased as the temperature increased. Ventilation rates stabilized quickly at the higher temperatures and remained relatively constant throughout the remaining exposure period. Acclimated rate-temperatures curves (R- T curves), acute R- T curves and Q10 temperature coefficients used to assess the significance of the changes in rate frequency and to compare the species in an ecologically meaningful way, showed that several adaptive types occurred among and between species. The Q,10's of the acute R- T curves, in most cases, were found to approximate those values derived for the acclimated R-T curve. This suggests that the temperature increases had a negligible effect, that is, little or no thermal stress occurred.     

Seasonal changes in fast-starts in the short-horn sculpin: integration of swimming behaviour and muscle performance

In short-horn sculpin Myoxocephalus scorpius , the power requirements for fast-start swimming and the length-specific velocity of the curvature wave travelling down the spine ( Û ) were not influenced significantly by acclimation to summer and winter conditions at test temperatures of 5 and 15° C. However, in-vivo and in-vitro muscle performance exhibited acclimation responses at 15° C. Seasonal acclimation altered the escape performance curves for power and Û significantly over a wider temperature range of 0·8–20° C. Û was significantly higher at 20° C in the summer- than winter-acclimation group. The acclimation of lower levels of physiological organization at 15° C may thus serve to extend the thermal limits for escape performance in summer acclimated fish.     

Protein, lipid and caloric contents of bluntnose minnow, Pimephales notatus Rafinesque, during growth at different temperatures

Changes in the relative proportions of protein, lipid, water and caloric contents of bluntnose minnow growing at various temperatures (15, 25, 30° C) were investigated by application of the allometry equation, y=ax^b . Fish grew significantly faster at 25° C (closest to optimum), more slowly at 30° C and most slowly at 15° C. Protein, as a percentage of body wet weight, tended to increase with fish size at all temperatures ( b > 1.000), whereas in juveniles (<0.7 g) it decreased ( b < 1.000). However, with the exception of the 15° C group, protein as a percentage of body dry weight, decreased in all groups ( b < 1.000). Temperature appeared to modify the body composition of bluntnose minnows, e.g. decreasing temperature led to significantly enhanced protein content during growth. Lipid (%) and caloric content (cal g⁻¹) increased with increasing fish weight ( b > 1). The slower growing fish (15°, 30° C) deposited significantly more lipid (and had higher caloric contents) than those growing most rapidly (at 25° C). Water content (%) decreased with increasing body weight in all groups. Despite intergroup growth rate differences, all groups showed evidence of a tendency to follow similar trends in b values for body constituents and caloric content (except for protein v. body dry weight for the 15° C group). This suggests a general conservativeness of body composition in bluntnose minnow. The correlations between body constituents, caloric content and body weight were high ( r ²>0.9) so that estimates of body composition can be obtained from body weight for all temperature groups.