Extracorporeal acidic predigestion of commercial dry diets can reduce the incidence of body deformities in the stomachless fish crucian carp (Carassius carassius L.)

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that predigesting commercial dry diets for fish with hydrochloric acid (HCl) can contribute to the reduction of the incidence of body deformities in a stomachless cyprinid species intensively reared under controlled conditions. Two different dry diets (Carpco Crumble by Coppens International and Aller Futura by Aller Aqua), their respective variants modified with HCl, and frozen larval chironomids (control diet) were fed as sole food sources to juvenile Carassius carassius in a recirculating aquaculture system at 25°C for 60 days. At the end of the experiment, visible body deformities occurred exclusively in the groups fed dry diets. The shares of deformities were significantly lower in fish groups fed the modified diets (6.1–13.2%) as compared to those fed the original ones (74.0–87.0%). Fish in the latter groups had significantly the highest condition factor values, which indicated a possible phosphorus deficiency. As evidenced by our results, predigesting commercial dry diets with HCl can be a useful method to mitigate the problem of body deformities occurring in intensively fed cyprinid species.

Comparative karyotype study of three Cyprinids (Cyprinidae, Cyprininae) in Thailand by classical cytogenetic and FISH techniques

Three species of ornamental fishes in the subfamily Cyprininae (family Cyprinidae) namely, Epalzeorhynchos frenatum (Fowler, 1934), Puntigrus partipentazona (Fowler, 1934), Scaphognathops bandanensis Boonyaratpalin et Srirungroj, 1971 were studied by classical cytogenetic and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) techniques. Chromosomes were directly prepared from kidney tissues and stained by using conventional and Ag-NOR banding techniques. Microsatellite d(CA)15 and d(CGG)10 probes were hybridized to the chromosomes of three cyprinids. The results show that the three cyprinid species share the same diploid number as 2n=50 but there are differences in the fundamental number (NF) and karyotypes i.e. E. frenatum: NF = 78, 18m+10sm+10st+12a; P. partipentazona: NF = 80, 6m+24sm+14st+6a; S. bandanensis: NF = 66, 4m+12sm+34a. NOR positive masks were observed at the regions adjacent to the telomere of the short arm of the chromosome pairs 10 (submetacentric) and 1 (metacentric) in E. frenatum and P. partipentazona, respectively whereas those were revealed at telomeric regions of the long arm of the chromosome pair 9 (acrocentric) in S. bandanensis. The mapping of d(CA)15 and d(CGG)10 microsatellites shown that hybridization signals are abundantly distributed in telomeric regions of several pairs except d(CA)15 repeats in S. bandanensis, which are distributed throughout all chromosomes and d(CGG)10 repeats in P. partipentazona display the high accumulation only in the first chromosome pair.

Evaluation on Toxicity Level of Terminalia catappa Leaves Extract on Selected Cyprinids under Different Bath Concentrations

This study aimed to determine the lethal concentration (LC50) of Terminalia catappa leaves extract on three cyprinid species; carp (Cyprinus carpio), goldfish (Carassius auratus) and tiger barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) through the acute toxicity test. The leaves of T. catappa were extracted with methanol and prepared in various immersion concentrations (40, 80, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 350 mg/L). These extracts were immersed in the aquarium and left for 24 h before performing the acute toxicity test. The water quality was also analyzed before and after adding the extract immersions into the aquarium. The acute toxicity test conducted for 96 h with 10 fishes of each cyprinid species (4.0-6.0 cm length) in 30 L water capacity aquarium. The mortality of each cyprinid species was recorded at 24 h time interval and LC50 of the extracts throughout 96 hours was determined through the probit analysis application. Specifically, the LC50 of T. catappa leaves extract were 349.89, 338.65 and 318.48 mg/L exhibited for carp, goldfish and tiger barb, respectively. A high concentration range of any plant-based extract has the potential to become toxic to particular fishes. Thus, it is an effort from this study to identify the safety margin of T. catappa leaves extract before its therapeutic values can be further manipulated and elucidated in aquaculture research.

Lateral and longitudinal fish eDNA distribution in dynamic riverine habitats

Assessing the status and distribution of fish populations in rivers is essential for management and conservation efforts in these dynamic habitats. Currently, methods detecting environmental DNA (eDNA) are being established as an alternative and/or complementary approach to the traditional monitoring of fish species. In lotic systems, a sound understanding of hydrological conditions and their influence on the local target detection probability and DNA quantity is key for the interpretation of eDNA-based results. However, the effect of seasonal and diurnal changes in discharge and the comparability of semi-quantitative results between species remain hardly addressed. We conducted a cage experiment with four fish species (three salmonid and one cyprinid species) in a glacier-fed, fish-free river in Tyrol (Austria) during summer, fall, and winter discharge situations (i.e. 25-fold increase from winter to summer). Each season, water samples were obtained on three consecutive days at 13 locations downstream of the cages including lateral sampling every 1-2 m across the wetted width. Fish eDNA was quantified by species-specific endpoint PCR followed by capillary electrophoresis. Close to the cages, lateral eDNA distribution was heterogenous and mirrored cage placement within the stream. In addition to the diluting effect of increased discharge, longitudinal signal changes within the first 20 m were weakest at high discharge. For downstream locations with laterally homogenous eDNA distribution, the signals decreased significantly with increasing distance and discharge. Generally, the eDNA of the larger-bodied salmonid species was less frequently detected, and signal strengths were lower compared to the cyprinid species. This study exemplifies the importance of hydrological conditions for the interpretation of eDNA-based data across seasons. To control for heterogenous eDNA distribution and enable comparisons over time, sampling schemes in lotic habitats need to incorporate hydrological conditions and species traits.

Batch spawning in five species of minnows (Cyprinidae) from Ontario, Canada

Batch spawning, the act of spawning more than once within a spawning season, is assessed in six species of minnows (Cyprinidae) from Ontario, Canada. The bimodal frequency distribution of egg size in mature specimens suggests that the following species are batch spawners: Blacknose Dace (Rhinichthys atratulus), Brassy Minnow (Hybognathus hankinsoni), Common Shiner (Luxilus cornutus), Creek Chub (Semotilus atromaculatus), and Hornyhead Chub (Nocomis biguttatus). However, there is no evidence that Northern Pearl Dace (Margariscus nachtriebi) is a batch spawner. Thus, we now have evidence that 11 of 39 cyprinid species in Ontario are batch spawners. Knowledge about the reproductive habits of these species should be integrated into the comprehensive standards for the protection of fish habitat in Ontario to ensure the survival of populations.