Evaluation of the Cortisol Stress Response in a Marine Perciform Fish, the San Pedro Oplegnathus insignis

Abstract

The San Pedro (also known as the Pacific beakfish) Oplegnathus insignis is a species of perciform fish found in the eastern Pacific Ocean. In northern Chile, San Pedro are an important food fish currently being evaluated for aquaculture. The purpose of this study was to conduct an initial evaluation of the cortisol stress response in captive‐bred San Pedro. The fish were subjected to confinement stress by crowding them into a low volume of water (231 kg/m3) for 90 min. Blood was collected over time for the determination of plasma cortisol. Confinement resulted in a significant increase in plasma cortisol, from a resting concentration of 24.9 ng/mL to 120.7 ng/mL after 10 min into the stress experience. After 20 and 60 min of stress, cortisol concentrations plateaued at 225.3 ng/mL and 243.7 ng/mL, respectively, followed by a decrease to 56.1 ng/mL by 90 min. These results indicate a rapid and robust cortisol stress response in this species. This is the first evaluation of the San Pedro stress response, and these data will serve as the baseline for future evaluations of San Pedro stress physiology and the development of aquaculture techniques suitable for this species.

Coeficientes de digestibilidad total y de proteinas en alimentos experimentales para juveniles de Oplegnathus insignis (Kner, 1867) (Perciformes, Oplegnathidae)

“…y Chiton cumingsi), cirripedios (Austromegabalanus psittacus) y equinodermos (Tetrapigus niger) (Medina et al, 2004). Su cultivo se ha desarrollado experimentalmente en la Universidad Arturo Prat (Iquique), con estudios concretos en consumo de oxígeno (Segovia et al, 2012) y evaluación a la respuesta de estrés (Tapia et al, 2012).…”

LOW WATER TEMPERATURE AND ITS EFFECTS ON STRESS RESPONSE OF GREY MULLETS Mugil cephalus ACCLIMATED IN FRESHWATER

“…Environmental condition is one of the main reasons which affecting the stress of fish. Many authors investigated the stress response of fish according to the environmental condition, including freshwater fish and marine fish (Tapia et al, 2012;Chang & Hur, 1999;Chen et al, 1995;Min et al, 2010). According to numerous studies, the most popular approaches for evaluating physiological responses of fish to environmental disturbances are measurements of plasma cortisol, glucose, lactate, chloride (and other ions), and osmolality, and various hematological features (Barton et al, 2002).…”