Cold shocks: a stressor for common carp

• Published in: Journal of fish biology 2000-10, Vol.57 (4), p.881-894
• Main Authors: Tanck, M.W.T, Booms, G.H.R, Eding, E.H, Bonga, S.E.W, Komen, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Aquaculture and Fisheries; Aquacultuur en Visserij; Autoecology; Biological and medical sciences; CARP; CARPA; CARPE; COLD; cold shock; common carp; cortisol; ESTRES; fish; FRIO; FROID; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GLUCOCORTICOIDE; GLUCOCORTICOIDES; GLUCOCORTICOIDS; Leerstoelgroep Aquacultuur en Visserij; STRESS; TEMPERATURA DEL AGUA; TEMPERATURE DE L'EAU; Vertebrata; WATER TEMPERATURE; WIAS
• ISSN: 0022-1112; 1095-8649
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2000.tb02199.x

The stress response of common carp Cyprinus carpio was studied by evaluating plasma cortisol, glucose and lactate after single or multiple rapid temperature drops (ΔT: 7, 9 or 11° C). All three amplitudes used induced a significant rise in plasma cortisol levels. Peaks occurred within 20 min after onset of the cold shock. No stress‐related secondary metabolic changes were observed in any of the experiments described: plasma glucose levels remained unaffected and plasma lactate levels dropped. Carp of 60 days old showed a significant stress response, although plasma cortisol levels were lower than those observed in carp of 120 days. Furthermore, fish that had experienced multiple cold shocks showed an overall lower cortisol response than fish experiencing a single cold shock, indicating that habituation to this stressor occurred.