Given the growth of the aquaculture industry and concerns over negative effects of stress on fish, it is important to research how cultured fish respond to stress. The duration and intensity of stress can lead to fish mortality, disease outbreaks, poor growth performance, and reproductive failure.
This study aims to investigate the impact of physico-chemical water quality parameters on the stress response of different age groups of Labeo victorianus, a cultured fish species. Four treatments will be conducted, each consisting of 100 fish of different age groups (5g, 20g, 50g, and 100g) housed in four tanks and replicated three times. The fish will be fed high-quality feeds with a crude protein content of 30% throughout the experimental period.
Blood samples will be collected from each age group every two days, and the cortisol, glucose, sodium, and chloride ion concentrations will be analyzed. This process will continue for 10 days, with subsequent blood samples taken every two days to monitor the effects of stress. Physico-chemical parameters of each experimental set-up will also be measured by taking three water samples from each setup before extracting blood samples from the experimental fish.
The analyzed blood and water samples from each treatment will be compared to evaluate the response of different age groups of Labeo victorianus to different water quality parameters. This study will contribute to a better understanding of how fish respond to stress and may inform strategies to mitigate negative impacts on cultured fish.
Keywords: Chloride ions; Cortisol concentration; Glucose concentration; Sodium ions; Stress;