FishesPub Date : 2023-12-18DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120612
Adam T. Piper, Paula J. Rosewarne, Charlotte Pike, Rosalind M. Wright
{"title":"The Eel Ascending: The Influence of Lateral Slope, Climbing Substrate and Flow Rate on Eel Pass Performance","authors":"Adam T. Piper, Paula J. Rosewarne, Charlotte Pike, Rosalind M. Wright","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120612","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120612","url":null,"abstract":"Optimising the design of passage facilities to restore fluvial connectivity for juvenile European eel (Anguilla anguilla) is a key priority within conservation efforts for the species, across the majority of its freshwater range. Employing an experimental setup that simulated gravity-fed upstream eel passes, this study demonstrated that novel V-profile passes, which incorporate two lateral slopes (15°), performed better than laterally flat passes over the flow rates tested (0.2–0.6 L s−1). For the small eel size used (60–80 mm length), the bristle substrate consistently outperformed studs, but the lateral slope had a greater effect on passage metrics than the substrate choice. Our findings strongly support the use of V-shaped channels for upstream migrating eel at fish passage facilities, particularly in scenarios where flow rates may be elevated and/or fluctuating, such as for gravity-fed passes.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":" 35","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138994956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Bioeconomic Analysis of Hybrid Giant Grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × Epinephelus lanceolatus) and Green Grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus): A Case Study in Taiwan","authors":"Po-Lin Huang, Farok Afero, Yao Chang, Bo-Ying Chen, Hsun-Yu Lan, Yen-Lung Hou, Cheng-Ting Huang","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120610","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120610","url":null,"abstract":"Grouper aquaculture is a rapidly growing and dynamic industry within the Taiwan aquaculture sector that serves as an important source of income generation. Farming fishes at a better location (FFABL) is a promising production strategy. This study evaluated the production and economic performance of grouper farming in Taiwan. This investigation employed two steps: (1) a cost–benefit analysis to determine the main component affecting profitability; and (2) multivariate statistics to clarify the relationship between biological and economic factors. The findings suggest that the best choice of species is hybrid giant grouper that generates and highlights a positive income, viable benefit–cost ratio and profit rate. The study found the feed management of hybrid giant groupers requires more consideration due to its low feed conversion ratio. The producers need to replace trash fish in commercial feed during the production cycle to ensure better feed management. Finally, this paper argues that feed is the main constraint for grouper farming, which is sensitive to any change in feed productivity, and this constraint must be solved to sustain the grouper industry in Taiwan.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"18 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138966186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FishesPub Date : 2023-12-17DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120611
E. E. Peele, C. Huveneers, Culum Brown, Connor R. Gervais, K. E. Yopak
{"title":"Effects of Increased Temperature on Brain and Sensory Development in the Port Jackson Shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni)","authors":"E. E. Peele, C. Huveneers, Culum Brown, Connor R. Gervais, K. E. Yopak","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120611","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120611","url":null,"abstract":"Morphological differences in the peripheral (sensory) and central (brain) nervous system may confer sensory and/or behavioral variation in elasmobranchs, both across taxa and throughout ontogeny. Over the last century, sea surface temperatures have increased over 0.5 °C and are predicted to rise 1–4 °C by the year 2100, potentially affecting species’ physiological performance negatively. As the nervous system of fishes grows continually throughout their lives, it may be highly plastic in response to environmental changes. This study examined the effects of increased rearing temperature on nervous system development in Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni). Egg cases (n = 21) were collected from Gulf St. Vincent (Adelaide, SA) and placed into either ambient (17.6 °C) or 3 °C above ambient seawater conditions through hatching and reared for up to five months post-hatch. Relative volumes of the eyes and nose (olfactory rosette) were quantified using magnetic resonance imaging, and relative brain size and size of major brain regions were compared between the two treatment groups. The size of the olfactory bulbs and tegmentum varied significantly between the treatment groups, which suggest differences in primary, secondary, or tertiary sensory processing and/or motor functions at elevated temperatures. While studies on acute responses to environmental conditions cannot inform true adaptation across broad timescales, understanding the effects of increased temperature on the brain phenotype can aid in predicting how elasmobranchs may fare in response to changing ocean conditions.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"8 23","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138965904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FishesPub Date : 2023-12-16DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120608
Xin Cai, Yaxing Zhang, Bin Wang, Aijun Cui, Yan Jiang, Zhaojun Meng, Yuting Li, Yongjiang Xu
{"title":"Effects of Recombinant Leptin Proteins on the Expression of Key Genes in the HPG Axis and Liver of Tongue Sole In Vitro","authors":"Xin Cai, Yaxing Zhang, Bin Wang, Aijun Cui, Yan Jiang, Zhaojun Meng, Yuting Li, Yongjiang Xu","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120608","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120608","url":null,"abstract":"Leptin (Lep) plays a crucial role in controlling food intake and maintaining energy balance in mammals. While several studies have shown the presence of multiple leptin genes in teleosts, limited information is currently available on how sex steroid hormones regulate the expression of these genes in fish. In this study, we used two previously expressed and purified leptin proteins to incubate four tissues in vitro (hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and liver) and used the RT-qPCR method to detect the expression of genes related to growth and reproduction in tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis). The results showed that both recombinant LepA and LepB proteins of tongue sole almost entirely suppressed the expression of genes related to growth and reproduction in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and liver, while LepB may have had a positive role on steroid synthesis in gonads. Further, a high concentration of LepA facilitated the expression of IGF-Ι in liver. At the same time, we utilized human leptin to incubate four tissues in vitro; although most of them had trends similar to those stimulated with tongue sole leptins, there were still some differences, indicating differences among leptin homologs between humans and fishes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to explore the function of tongue sole LepA and LepB within the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and liver in vitro. Our results provide a valuable resource and foundation for future studies.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"14 6","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138967418","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FishesPub Date : 2023-12-16DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120609
Lasse Lange Jensen, Thomas Bjørn, Andreas Hein Korsgaard, C. Pertoldi, Niels Madsen
{"title":"Influence of Turbidity on Foraging Behaviour in Three-Spined Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus)","authors":"Lasse Lange Jensen, Thomas Bjørn, Andreas Hein Korsgaard, C. Pertoldi, Niels Madsen","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120609","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120609","url":null,"abstract":"Anthropogenic activities increase turbidity in coastal marine environments globally, and turbidity is particularly caused by eutrophication. Turbidity is a measurement of the scattering and absorption of light by suspended matter in water. An increase in turbidity influences visual predators and affects community structures and whole ecosystems. The three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) is a widespread species in the northern hemispheric Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It is a visual predator and, therefore, a very well-suited species for studying the effects of increasing turbidity on foraging behaviour and activity. Sticklebacks used for this study were from an aquarium in the North Sea Oceanarium. They have been in the aquarium for around two months and were originally collected in a highly eutrophicated marine fjord system. They were individually placed in an observation aquarium, fed with krill, given 10 min to forage, and observed by video cameras. The video films were analysed to study stickleback predation behaviour. Experiments were repeated with four different turbidity treatments, ranging from a mean of 0.034 up to 10 NTU (nephelometric turbidity unit). Bentonite clay was used as a turbidity-increasing substance. A statistically significant difference in foraging behaviour and activity between the turbidity treatments was observed. The test subjects were found to lunge less for prey and had a higher feeding latency with increasing turbidity. Additionally, they were less active with increasing turbidity. The behavioural instability estimated as a variation in feeding latency increased with increasing turbidity but decreased at the highest turbidity value. Our study indicates an effect of turbidity-increasing events on the behaviour of the three-spined stickleback and potentially also other similar visual predators.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"38 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138967102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FishesPub Date : 2023-12-14DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120607
Imam Hasan, Francesco Gai, Simona Cirrincione, S. Rimoldi, Giulio Saroglia, G. Terova
{"title":"Chitinase and Insect Meal in Aquaculture Nutrition: A Comprehensive Overview of the Latest Achievements","authors":"Imam Hasan, Francesco Gai, Simona Cirrincione, S. Rimoldi, Giulio Saroglia, G. Terova","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120607","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120607","url":null,"abstract":"The aquaculture industry is looking for sustainable alternatives to conventional fish meals in fish feed, and insect-based meals are proving to be a promising solution. These meals are nutritionally optimal as they have a high protein content and an ideal amino acid profile. However, the presence of chitin, a component of the insect exoskeleton in these meals presents both an opportunity and a challenge. Chitosan, a derivative of chitin, is known to improve the physiological functions of fish, including growth, immunity, and disease resistance. While chitin and its derivative chitosan offer several physiological benefits, their presence can affect the digestibility of feed in some fish species, making the inclusion of insect-based meals in aquafeeds complex. While studies suggest positive effects, some problems, such as reduced growth rates in certain species, emphasize the need for further research on chitin digestion in fish. Chitinase, an enzyme that breaks down chitin, is being investigated as a potential solution to improve the nutritional value of insect meals in aquafeed. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the applications, benefits, and challenges of using chitinase in aquaculture, highlighting the enzyme’s role in improving feed digestibility, disease control, and environmental sustainability. Extensive research is required to fully understand the potential of chitinase enzymes in aquaculture and to optimize their applications in this dynamic field. Overall, this review provides insight into the evolving landscape of insect-based meals and the applications of chitinase enzymes within sustainable aquaculture practices.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139001537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation Performance of Three Standardization Models to Estimate Catch-per-Unit-Effort: A Case Study on Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax) in the Northwest Pacific Ocean","authors":"Yongchuang Shi, Haibin Han, Fenghua Tang, Shengmao Zhang, Wei Fan, Heng Zhang, Zuli Wu","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120606","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120606","url":null,"abstract":"Catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) standardization in fisheries is a critical foundation for conducting stock assessment and fishery conservation. The Pacific sardine (Sardinops sagax) is one of the economically important fish species in the Northwest Pacific Ocean (NPO). Hence, the importance of choosing an appropriate CPUE standardization model cannot be overstated when it comes to achieving a precise relative abundance index for the efficient management of Pacific sardine fishery. This study’s main aim was to assess and compare the efficacy of three models, specifically the General Linear Model (GLM), the Generalized Linear Mixed Model (GLMM), and the spatio-temporal GLMM (VAST), in the CPUE standardization for Pacific sardine fishery in the NPO, with the ultimate goal of identifying the most appropriate model. An influence analysis was applied to analyze the impact of individual variables on the disparity among standardized and nominal CPUE, and the main explanatory variables influencing standardized CPUE were identified. A coefficient–distribution–influence (CDI) plot was generated to analyze the impact of the different models on the annual standardized CPUE. Additionally, a simulation testing framework was developed to evaluate the estimated accuracy of the three models. The results indicated that the standardized CPUE and the nominal CPUE exhibited similar trends between 2014 and 2021 for the three models. Compared to the GLM and the GLMM, the VAST demonstrates larger conditional R2 and smaller conditional AIC, indicating a better performance in standardizing the CPUE for Pacific sardines due to its consideration of spatial and temporal variations. The interaction terms within the three models exert significant influences on the annual standardized CPUE, necessitating their inclusion in the model construction. CDI plots indicate that the spatio-temporal influence of the VAST model exhibits a smaller variation trend, suggesting that the VAST is more robust when standardizing the CPUE for Pacific sardines. Simulation testing additionally demonstrated that the VAST model displays smaller model root mean squared error (RMSE) and bias, establishing it as the superior performer for standardizing CPUE. Our results provide a theoretical basis for the scientific management of Pacific sardines in the NPO and can be extended to CPUE standardization for other small pelagic fish species worldwide.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"72 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138979038","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FishesPub Date : 2023-12-08DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120604
Xuehui Shi, Xinyi Tang, Yichao Zhang, Wenqi Wang, Siyong Qin, Qinghua Liu, Jie Mei
{"title":"The Early Allometric Growth and Osteological Ontogeny of Pot-Bellied Seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis, L. 1827) under Mass-Scale Captive Breeding Conditions in North China","authors":"Xuehui Shi, Xinyi Tang, Yichao Zhang, Wenqi Wang, Siyong Qin, Qinghua Liu, Jie Mei","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120604","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120604","url":null,"abstract":"Seahorses are valuable species for their use in traditional Chinese medicine, as well as for the aquarium trade as ornamentals and curiosities. To balance market demand and reduce pressure on wild populations, many countries have undertaken commercial seahorse cultivation. Skeletal development plays a crucial role in fish fry culture, affecting external morphology, feeding, and movement. This study investigated the ontogeny allometry, timing, and progression of skeletal development in H. abdominalis from DAB (day after birth) 1 to DAB 100 under mass-scale captive breeding conditions in north China. The results of this study revealed the growth rate was significantly increased between DAB 30 and DAB 54. Allometry analysis revealed that in the early stage, the head, trunk, and tail demonstrated almost isometric growth. However, in the later stage, the head and trunk exhibited negative isometric growth, whereas the tail displayed positive isometric growth. Skeletal staining results showed that newborn seahorses do not have ossified bones until DAB 11 (SL 28.14 ± 2.94 mm). Ossification was primarily observed in the jaw region and the tubular nasal structure of the cranium, which indicated the importance of the early development of feeding organs. The initial formation of ossified vertebral columns was observed at DAB 13 (SL 26.48 ± 0.63 mm), with the complete ossification of all vertebrae occurring by DAB 45 (SL 54.87 ± 4.70 mm). Furthermore, the cranium, rings, and plates were all fully ossified by DAB 30. Ossification of the fins began at DAB 23 (SL 31.27 ± 4.05 mm). However, neither of them were fully ossified by DAB 100. The pelvic fin and the complete structure of the caudal fin were not observed, possibly because of caudal fin ray structure degeneration within the pouch. In addition, no skeletal deformities were observed in all the tested samples. The results of this study provide valuable information on the developmental biology of H. abdominalis, enriching our understanding of their growth and offering insights for optimizing fish fry breeding technologies.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"255 18","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139011442","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
FishesPub Date : 2023-12-08DOI: 10.3390/fishes8120603
Jiayang Li, Yu Guo, Xinye Zhao, Shengjie Zhou, Zhenhua Ma, Gang Yu, C. Qin, Xingqiang Wang
{"title":"The Effects of Vibration Frequency on Oxidative Stress, Digestive Enzymes and ATPases of Crimson Snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus) Fry during Transport","authors":"Jiayang Li, Yu Guo, Xinye Zhao, Shengjie Zhou, Zhenhua Ma, Gang Yu, C. Qin, Xingqiang Wang","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120603","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120603","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, we sought to characterize the effect of water vibration frequency stress on crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus) survival to determine an optimal transportation speed. To achieve this, we used a transport tank (25 cm × 17 cm × 16 cm) to simulate the transport process. After 8 h at five different vibration frequencies (D1 = 75 rpm, D2 = 105 rpm, D3 = 135 rpm, D4 = 165 rpm, and D5 = 195 rpm), the pH and dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the tanks decreased; ammonia nitrogen levels (NH4-N) and temperature (T) increased with increasing density; and significant changes in oxidative stress biomarkers, digestive enzymes, and ATPase levels were observed in crimson snapper fry. The enzyme activity increased and reached the maximum value at 195 rpm. The experimental results suggested that during the actual transport, when using transport tanks, the length of the transport time was less than 8 h, and setting the vibration frequency for transportation at 135 rpm was more appropriate, that is, a speed of 50 km/h for transporting crimson snapper fry.","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"7 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138589751","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Correction: Xu et al. Effects of Replacing Dietary Fish Meal by Soybean Meal Co-Fermented Using Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium on Serum Antioxidant Indices and Gut Microbiota of Crucian Carp Carassius auratus. Fishes 2022, 7, 54","authors":"Qian Xu, Zheng Yang, Siyu Chen, Wenjuan Zhu, Siyuan Xiao, Jing Liu, Hongquan Wang, Shile Lan","doi":"10.3390/fishes8120601","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120601","url":null,"abstract":"In the original publication [...]","PeriodicalId":12405,"journal":{"name":"Fishes","volume":"41 25","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2023-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138593754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}