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Effects of stocking density on the growth and immunity of Atlantic salmon salmo salar reared in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS)

  • Aquaculture and Fisheries
  • Published:
Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Atlantic salmon reared in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) may lead to inappropriately high stocking density, because fish live in a limited space. Finding the suitable stocking density of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS is very important for RAS industry. In this paper, the influence of stocking density on growth and some stress related physiological factors were investigated to evaluate the effects of stocking density. The fish were reared for 220 days at five densities (A: 24 kg/m3; B: 21 kg/m3; C: 15 kg/m3; D: 9 kg/ m3 and E: 6 kg/m3 ). The results show that 30 kg/m3 might be the maximum density which RAS can afford in China. The stocking densities under 30 kg/m3 have no effect on mortality of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS. However, the specific growth rate (SGR), final weight and weight gain in the high density group were significantly lower than the lower density groups and middle density groups. Moreover, feed conversion rate (FCR) had a negative correlation with density. Plasma hormone T3 and GH showed significant decrease with the increase of the stocking density of the experiment. Furthermore, thyroid hormone (T3), GH (growth hormone) activities were decreased with stocking density increase. However, plasma cortisol, GOT (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase) and GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase) activities were increase with stocking density increase. And the stocking density has no effects on plasma lysozyme of Atlantic salmon reared in RAS. These investigations would also help devise efficient ways to rear adult Atlantic salmon in China and may, in a way, help spread salmon mariculture in China.

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Author notes

  1. WANG Yanfeng and CHI Liang contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Experimental Marine Biology, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Yanfeng Wang, Qinghua Liu, Yongshuang Xiao, Daoyuan Ma, Zhizhong Xiao, Shihong Xu & Jun Li

  2. Laboratory for Marine Biology and Biotechnology, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266000, China

    Yanfeng Wang, Qinghua Liu, Yongshuang Xiao, Daoyuan Ma, Zhizhong Xiao, Shihong Xu & Jun Li

  3. Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China

    Yanfeng Wang, Qinghua Liu, Yongshuang Xiao, Daoyuan Ma, Zhizhong Xiao, Shihong Xu & Jun Li

  4. College of Veterinary Medicine, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China

    Liang Chi

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  1. Yanfeng Wang
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Correspondence to Shihong Xu or Jun Li.

Additional information

Supported by the National Science Foundation for Young Scientists of China (No. 31402314,31402283), the Agency of Science and Technology of Shandong Province (No. 2013GHY11514), the Modern Agro-Industry Technology Research System (No. nycytx-50), the Scientific and Technology Innovation Project Financially Supported by Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Nos. 2015ASKJ02, 2015ASKJ02-03-03), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS, the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology Service Network Planning (No. KFJ-EW-STS-060), the China Agriculture Research System (No. CARS-47), and the Shandong Provincial Key S&T Innovation Project (No. 2017CXGC0101)

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Wang, Y., Chi, L., Liu, Q. et al. Effects of stocking density on the growth and immunity of Atlantic salmon salmo salar reared in recirculating aquaculture system (RAS). J. Ocean. Limnol. 37, 350–360 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-019-7350-7

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