Ketone bodies in fish skin mucus as an indicator of starvation: a preliminary report |
| |
| Authors: | Franklin Ramos Albert C Smith |
| |
| Institution: | Division of Social Sciences, University of Hawaii at Hilo, Hilo College, P. O. Box 1357, Hilo, Hawaii 96720, U.S.A.;Department of Pathology, John A. Burns, School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, 1960 East- West Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, U.S.A. |
| |
| Abstract: | The detection of starvation is a major problem in fish husbandry. Too often the discovery of starving animals is not made until pathogenic organisms are about to overcome the weakened animals. A simple test, using a commercial plastic strip with a reagent area that changes colour in the presence of starvation-induced ketones, was applied to this problem in the mullet, Mugil cephalus. The strip identified ketones in the fish skin mucus, and demonstrated its value in detecting starvation in fishes. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
