Stress and its relation to endocrine function in captive female Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri).

Stress responses to numerous environmental conditions have been studied in a wide range of fish species. Defining the relationship between stress and endocrine function is particularly critical to long-lived species such as sturgeons, whose economic viability relies heavily on proper endocrine function for the production of caviar. In this study, we examined the induced stress response, defined by plasma cortisol and glucose concentrations, and its relationship to plasma 17beta-estradiol, testosterone and 11-ketotestosterone concentrations in cultured female Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baeri). Fish were acutely stressed using capture and confinement for a period of 4 h, and blood samples were drawn according to four treatment regimens: treatment 1, fish were bled at 0 h; treatment 2, fish were serially bled at 0 h, 1 h and 4 h; treatment 3, fish were bled at 1 h and 4 h; treatment 4, fish were bled at 4 h only. Fish were surgically sexed immediately after drawing blood at 0 h. After 1 h of acute stress, fish demonstrated a marked increase in plasma cortisol concentration, which remained elevated throughout the 4-h sampling period. The plasma concentration of sex steroids did not exhibit an inverse relationship with plasma cortisol concentration. Plasma testosterone concentration was significantly elevated during the periods of greatest stress. Plasma estradiol and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) concentrations were not affected by the acute stressors in this experiment. Serial bleedings, however, affected the associated stress response, which is an important consideration for future studies with this species. This is the first study to define the relationship between stress and possible changes in sex steroid concentration in this threatened and commercially important species.