Levy de Carvalho Gomes

A eficácia do mentol como anestésico para tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum, Characiformes: Characidae)

Anesthetics are important in fish culture to reduce handling stress and mortality. The objective of this work is to investigate menthol as an anesthetic for tambaqui. In the first series of tests, fish were exposed to various concentrations of menthol to evaluate induction time and stress responses. The second series examined the effect of exposure period to menthol at 150 mg/L on recovery time. The third assessed the best dosage for juveniles in larger tambaqui. The best concentration for surgical anesthesia is 150 mg/L. At this concentration the induction time is short, but their recovery time is significantly longer than that for lower concentrations. For biometry procedures, the best concentration is 100 mg/L. At this concentration the induction time is prolonged, but the recovery time is within the desired period. Recovery time for fish exposed to 150 mg/L is equal for 10, 20 or 30 minutes of exposure. The results confirmed that menthol is an adequate anesthetic for tambaqui.

Avaliação dos efeitos da adição de sal e da densidade no transporte de tambaqui

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

Densidade de estocagem de juvenis de tambaqui durante a recria em tanques-rede

The objective of this work was to determine the adequate stocking density to second growth phase of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum ) juveniles in cage. Twelve cages of 1 m 3 were used to stock fish in four different densities, with three replicate: 200, 300, 400 and 500 fish/m 3 . Fish were fed with commercial diets with 36% of crude protein six times a week, in three daily meals during 60 days. The growth in weight and in length, coefficient of variation of length, specific growth rate and glucose were analyzed at 30 and 60 days of rearing. At the end of the experiment final productivity parameters were evaluated: survival, feed conversion, weight gain and production per area. Physical-chemical parameters of water were evaluated each seven days. After 60 days, the growth in weight and length was higher in the density of 200 fish/m 3 compared to the density of 500 fish/m 3 . The coefficient of variation of length, specific growth rate and glucose present no significant differences among the treatments at 30 and 60 days. Survival, feed conversion and weight gain were similar for all densities. The production per area was higher in the two highest densities. Results indicate that the density of 400 fish/m 3 is

Respostas de estresse em pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) durante práticas de rotina em piscicultura

Pirarucu is an obligatory air breathing fish native to the Amazon basin. In rearing conditions it reaches up to 10 kg in one year, being one of the fish with the greatest potential for farming in the Amazon. The aim of this study was to verify stress responses in pirarucu during routine aquaculture practices. Three experiments were carried out: 1) transport; 2) crowding; and 3) exposure to ammonia. Parameters of the energy metabolism (glucose and lactate), hormonal (cortisol), and hematological (hematocrit) were analyzed. All experiments caused alterations in the physiological parameters of pirarucu. The stress responses during transport are similar to crowding. However, the magnitude of the responses to crowding was higher. Ammonia exposure does not cause an immediate alteration in the physiological parameters, with a latency period in the stress responses. From the observed results it is possible to conclude that alterations in the metabolic parameters occur during the more intense management periods and probably can be prevented adopting best management practices.

Produtividade de tambaqui criado em tanque-rede com diferentes taxas de alimentação

This research was aimed at evaluating the effect of feeding rates on productivity and blood glucose levels, triglycerides and total plasma proteins of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) reared in cages. Tambaqui juveniles were reared during 150 days fed at 1, 3 and 5% of body weight per day allocated with two meals, six days a week. The feeding rates did not show any effects on the condition factor and survival. Weight gain and production of fish that were fed at 3 and 5% were significantly higher than the fish that received 1% of body weight per day. Although, feed conversion was significantly higher at the ratio of 1% of body weight per day, and the values of feed conversion obtained at the ratios of 3 and 5% per se make the culture of tambaqui unprofitable. No alterations were observed in the levels of blood glucose, triglycerides and total plasma protein of tambaqui from the different treatments. The feeding-ratio productivity adequate for tambaqui juveniles, when reared in cages in varzea lakes with an initial weigh of 200g, is 1% of body weight per day.

Transportation of juvenile tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) in a closed system

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of density, duration and the use of additives to the water during the transportation of juvenile tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) and use of this data to establish a safe transportation protocol for the species. The tested products and dosages were: salt (1000, 2000 and 3000 mg/L), gypsum (100, 300 and 500 mg/L) and benzocaine (10, 20 and 30 mg/L). Fish were transported in closed systems (plastic bag) at different densities and time periods of up to 24 h. Fish survival (FS) and water quality parameters were monitored immediately after transportation. The remaining fish were kept in floating cages in order to evaluate mortality which occurred up to 96 h after transportation (S96). The best fish density, additives dosages and time period of the transportation was estimated with a general linear model. The effect of the condition factor on FS and S96 was also evaluated. As expected, FS and S96 were significantly related to time and density. FS but not S96, were also were significantly related to treatment. FS with gypsum treatment was not different from controls and FS with table salt and benzocaine treatments were significantly reduced. The condition factor was not related to either FS or S96. FS was inversely correlated with carbon dioxide concentration. It was concluded that the additives did not improve fish transportation survival. Linear models were developed to predict the best transportation densities as a function of time.

Excreção de amônia por tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) de acordo com variações na temperatura da água e massa do peixe

Ammonia, an excretion product of fish, is toxic to aquatic organisms. The objective of this study was to account daily ammonia excretion rates of tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), the main fish species of the Amazonia related to water temperature and fish mass. Ammonia excretion rates were measured every two hours during a 24-hour period and results were evaluated by a multiple linear regression. Tambaqui presented two to five excretion peaks during the 24-hour period, reaching up to ten times the mean excretion rates. The model developed by the multiple linear regression explained 95.2% of the daily ammonia excretion rates, which increased according to fish mass and decreased when water temperature increased.

Transport of Pirarucu Arapaima gigas juveniles in plastic bag

This study examined the stress response of pirarucu juveniles in a closed system transport. Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) is a native Amazonian fish species from the Osteoglossidae family and an obligated air breather. A short duration transport trial (6h) was undertaken comparing closed polyethylene bags filled with atmospheric air (Air group) and bags filled with pure oxygen (Oxi group). Dissolved oxygen was the only water parameter that presented a difference between fish groups, and was saturated in the oxi group as expected. There was no mortality in either group after transport. Fish feeding was observed 36 h after transport for all fish, and normal feeding consumption was observed at 72 h. In both groups physiological responses were similar. Cortisol did not show any significant alteration during the sampled period. Unlike most fish species, cortisol values were unaltered in both groups during sampling, while glucose presented a significant change up to 12 h after transport. The results showed that pirarucu transport in plastic bags could be made with either atmospheric air or pure oxygen, since physiological response to stress, water quality and feeding behavior after 36 h were similar in both groups.

Physiological responses of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) to acute handling stress

Pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) is an obligatory air-breathing fish from the Amazon basin. Previous study showed that pirarucu juveniles present a latency period in their response to moderate stress (transportation). Therefore the objective of this study was to verify the effects of a prolonged air exposure stress in lactate, glucose, cortisol, haematocrit, haemoglobin, and liver glycogen in pirarucu. Thirty-six fish were handled by netting and subjected to air exposure for 75-min. Six fish were sampled before handling and at 0, 6, 24, 48, and 96h after handling. Fish cortisol, lactate and haematocrit rose after handling, returning to previous unstressed values on the following sampling (6h after handling). Glucose increased significantly after handling and that was maintained for 24 h. There were no changes in haemoglobin and liver glycogen as a consequence of handling. The results demonstrate a quick response when exposed to an acute stressor and a fast recovery, suggesting that pirarucu does not use their glycogen reserves during an acute stress. The results suggest that pirarucu exhibit physiological stress responses to handling similar in magnitude to those previously documented for many teleostean fishes, including salmonids.

Growth, yield, water and effluent quality in ponds with different management during tambaqui juvenile production

Oxa0objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do manejo de viveiro sobre a alimentacao, crescimento, produtividade, sobrevivencia, qualidade da agua e do efluente, durante a recria do tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum). Os peixes foram distribuidos em nove viveiros de 600xa0m2, a densidade de 8xa0peixes porxa0m2, e criados por 60xa0dias. Foram aplicados tres diferentes manejos de viveiro: com calagem e fertilizante (LimFer), com calagem (Lim) e natural (Nat). Os peixes foram alimentados tres vezes ao dia, com racao comercial com 34% de proteina bruta. Nao houve diferenca significativa no crescimento e na produtividade. Os tres principais itens encontrados no estomago do tambaqui foram inseto, zooplâncton e racao. Nao houve diferenca significativa na proporcao desses itens entre os tratamentos. Alcalinidade, dureza e CO2 foram maiores nos viveiros LimFer e Lim. Clorofila a, transparencia, amonia, nitrito, temperatura e oxigenio dissolvido da agua dos viveiros nao apresentaram diferencas significativas entre os tratamentos. Demanda bioquimica de oxigenio, fosforo total, ortofosfato, amonia e nitrito foram significativamente maiores nos efluentes do tratamento LimFer. A fertilizacao dos viveiros deve ser evitada, pois o crescimento e a produtividade foram similares entre os manejos testados; alem disso, a fertilizacao produz um efluente mais impactante.