Reduced stress and increased immune responses in Nile tilapia kept under self-feeding conditions
2002
Endo, M. (Miyazaki Univ. (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture) | Kumahara, C. | Yoshida, T. | Tabata, M.
Stress and immune responses were studied in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus under both conditions of self-feeding and scheduled feeding. Self-feeding fish had a significantly lower cortisol level in their blood plasma than that of scheduled feeding fish. Furthermore, skin color was found to be paler in the self-feeding fish compared with that of the scheduled feeding fish. Thus, the self-feeding fish had a less stressful physiological status than the other experimental fish. Immuno-logical analyses revealed that the self-feeding fish significantly exceeded the scheduled feeding fish in the phagocytic activity of their macrophages, antibody production, and the number of blood-circulating lymphocytes. The higher immune responses of self-feeding fish seem to be attained through a less stressful environment. This self-feeding behavior could be exploited to create reduced stress for disease control in fish farming.
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