Efeitos da natação sustentada no crescimento, na densidade de estocagem e na composição corporal em juvenis de matrinxã, Brycon amazonicus. Aspectos adaptativos e respostas metabólicas.

Abstract

Fast growth, followed by high stocking density set up productivity and profitability in aquaculture intensive systems. These are actually challenges for fish producers and researchers. Matrinxa, Brycon amazonicus is a Neotropical Characiform that presents high growth rates, good quality filet, easy adaptation to artificial diets, and good commercial values. It is a reofilic species, demands good waters, lives in rapids, shows a biological plasticity, which make it proper to intensive fish culture. It presents a good potential to studies on sustained exercise and under high stocking densities. Therefore, the present study was focused in the investigation of the swimming effects on growth, stocking density and body composition as well as in the evaluation of the metabolic responses and adaptive aspects in juvenile matrinxa submitted to increasing swimming speeds associated to long term sustained exercise. To investigate the effects of swimming speeds, 100 juveniles of matrinxa with initial average weight and size of 33.33±0.95 g and 13.44±0.10 cm respectively were transferred to five fiber glass tanks under water speed of: 0.0; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0 and 2.5 BL/sec (body length) for 90 days. In a second trial 210 juveniles of matrinxa with average length and size of 18.44±0.1 g and 12.33±0.5cm respectively, were divided into two groups. One group was endured at 1BL/sec and stocked at three densities (88, 176 and 353 fish per m3) in circular tanks of 250L; a second group of fish were endured the same density conditions but without exercise for 70 days. The water speed affected the growth in both trials. In the first trial the highest growth rates were observed in fish that swam 1 and 1.5 BL/sec. The average weight was 20% higher than control and than the highest water speed (2.5 BL/sec). In the second trial the highest growth and survival were observed in the exercised group and stocked in the average density. The adaptive responses biochemical, physiological observed through the intermediary metabolites in plasma and tissues (liver, white muscle and red muscle), hematological parameters, ions, hormonal, in the juveniles of matrinxa under several water speed and several stock densities indicate that matrinxa is a fish species well responsive to exercise stimulus, and adapts easily to confinement at high stock densities.