Seasonal biochemical response in two aquaculture species (Sparus aurata and Dicentrarchus labrax).

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate the changes of some biochemical parameters in response to environmental variation in two important species of fish of great commercial value reared in Sicily. The study, carried out on 200 fish (100 Sparus aurata Linnaeus, 1758 and 100 Dicentrarchus labrax Linnaeus, 1758), lasted 12 months. Each season, blood samples were collected during summer solstice, autumn equinox, winter solstice and spring equinox. For each time point, 25 Sparus aurata and 25 Dicentrarchus labrax were used and always randomly captured by the same batches from tanks. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed Bonferroni's multiple comparisons test, was used to evaluate the influence of different season on serum protein profile, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, calcium, magnesium, triglycerides and total cholesterol. The results showed the seasonal influence on biometric and biochemical parameters studied in S. aurata and D. labrax and that seasonal cycles can differently affects fish in several biological and physiological activities. These results could represent a valid contribution in the study of the linkage between metabolic parameters, seasonal variations and biometric indices in cultured fish to improve the management and technological support of aquaculture.<br />