Assessment on the effect of salt and density on tambaqui fish transportation

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of salt as a stress reductor and to determine the best transportation density for tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) juveniles in customized plastic boxes. In the first experiment different concentrations of cooking salt (NaCl) in the water were tested, and in the second experiment the fishes were transported for three hours in 200 L plastic boxes using different fish densities and 8 g of salt/L of water. Plasma cortisol presented a significant increase after transportation in water without salt or with 2 g of salt/L, returning to normal levels after 96 hours. The fishes exposed to all salt concentrations had plasma glucose increased after transportation, except the treatment with 8 g of salt/L of water, returning to normal levels within 24 hours. In the second experiment, the fishes transported at different densities with 8 g of salt/L of water did not present a significant change in plasma cortisol after transportation, but plasma glucose increased after transportation at all fish densities, returning to normal levels in 24 hours. Fish transported at a density of 200 kg/m 3 of water had 11% mortality in one of the replicates. For tambaqui transportation with 8 g of salt/L of water, maximum density should be 150 kg/m3 of water. At this density water parameter levels are adequate, stress responses are minimum and there is no fish mortality.