Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia
In aquaculture practices, fish are mostly protected from lethal actions of predators. However, sub-lethal effects can be challenging to prevent, as they may be associated with chemical cues signaling predation risk that easily dissolve and spread in water, serving as potential stressors. These cues...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Fishes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/4/174 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850183644514091008 |
|---|---|
| author | Rafaela Torres Pereira Alexandre Luiz Arvigo Caio Akira Miyai Augusto Rysevas Silveira Percília Cardoso Giaquinto Helton Carlos Delicio Leonardo José Gil Barcellos Rodrigo Egydio Barreto |
| author_facet | Rafaela Torres Pereira Alexandre Luiz Arvigo Caio Akira Miyai Augusto Rysevas Silveira Percília Cardoso Giaquinto Helton Carlos Delicio Leonardo José Gil Barcellos Rodrigo Egydio Barreto |
| author_sort | Rafaela Torres Pereira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In aquaculture practices, fish are mostly protected from lethal actions of predators. However, sub-lethal effects can be challenging to prevent, as they may be associated with chemical cues signaling predation risk that easily dissolve and spread in water, serving as potential stressors. These cues originate from predators, stressed or injured prey releasing blood, a conspecific alarm substance (CAS), and/or other bodily fluids. In this study, we simulated a small-scale net cage system and assessed the feeding and growth of Nile tilapia exposed chronically to a CAS. Nile tilapia, an invasive species in many aquatic systems, frequently coexist freely alongside those cultivated in cages. Consequently, caged tilapia may regularly be exposed to a CAS, potentially leading to chronic stress and impacting growth and development. Fish were exposed daily to either a CAS or a control vehicle (distilled water) for 45 days (one fish per cage). Fish in both conditions exhibited similar increases in body mass, weight gain, and length over time and displayed an allometric negative growth profile, indicating that the CAS did not affect the length–weight relationship as well. Specific and relative growth rates, condition factor, body axes, food intake, and feeding conversion efficiency were also unaffected by the CAS over time. This body of evidence suggests that the CAS did not act as a chronic stressor for caged Nile tilapia and a possible explanation is habituation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8e2dbcd98e1146a2bef80c97195b7748 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2410-3888 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Fishes |
| spelling | doaj-art-8e2dbcd98e1146a2bef80c97195b77482025-08-20T02:17:19ZengMDPI AGFishes2410-38882025-04-0110417410.3390/fishes10040174Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile TilapiaRafaela Torres Pereira0Alexandre Luiz Arvigo1Caio Akira Miyai2Augusto Rysevas Silveira3Percília Cardoso Giaquinto4Helton Carlos Delicio5Leonardo José Gil Barcellos6Rodrigo Egydio Barreto7Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, UNESP, R. Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250—Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu 18618-689, SP, BrazilBiosciences Institute, Campus of São Vicente, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, BrazilBiosciences Institute, Campus of São Vicente, São Paulo State University, UNESP, Praça Infante Dom Henrique, s/n, São Vicente 11330-900, SP, BrazilDepartment of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, UNESP, R. Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250—Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu 18618-689, SP, BrazilDepartment of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, UNESP, R. Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250—Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu 18618-689, SP, BrazilDepartment of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, UNESP, R. Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250—Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu 18618-689, SP, BrazilGraduate Program in Pharmacology, University of Passo Fundo, BR 285, São José, Passo Fundo 99052-900, RS, BrazilDepartment of Structural and Functional Biology, Institute of Biosciences of Botucatu, São Paulo State University, UNESP, R. Prof. Dr. Antônio Celso Wagner Zanin, 250—Distrito de Rubião Junior, Botucatu 18618-689, SP, BrazilIn aquaculture practices, fish are mostly protected from lethal actions of predators. However, sub-lethal effects can be challenging to prevent, as they may be associated with chemical cues signaling predation risk that easily dissolve and spread in water, serving as potential stressors. These cues originate from predators, stressed or injured prey releasing blood, a conspecific alarm substance (CAS), and/or other bodily fluids. In this study, we simulated a small-scale net cage system and assessed the feeding and growth of Nile tilapia exposed chronically to a CAS. Nile tilapia, an invasive species in many aquatic systems, frequently coexist freely alongside those cultivated in cages. Consequently, caged tilapia may regularly be exposed to a CAS, potentially leading to chronic stress and impacting growth and development. Fish were exposed daily to either a CAS or a control vehicle (distilled water) for 45 days (one fish per cage). Fish in both conditions exhibited similar increases in body mass, weight gain, and length over time and displayed an allometric negative growth profile, indicating that the CAS did not affect the length–weight relationship as well. Specific and relative growth rates, condition factor, body axes, food intake, and feeding conversion efficiency were also unaffected by the CAS over time. This body of evidence suggests that the CAS did not act as a chronic stressor for caged Nile tilapia and a possible explanation is habituation.https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/4/174chemical communicationprey–predator systemgrowthfeedingstress |
| spellingShingle | Rafaela Torres Pereira Alexandre Luiz Arvigo Caio Akira Miyai Augusto Rysevas Silveira Percília Cardoso Giaquinto Helton Carlos Delicio Leonardo José Gil Barcellos Rodrigo Egydio Barreto Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia Fishes chemical communication prey–predator system growth feeding stress |
| title | Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia |
| title_full | Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia |
| title_fullStr | Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia |
| title_short | Sub-Lethal Effects of Predators in Aquaculture: Assessment of Chronic Exposure to Conspecific Alarm Substance on Feeding and Growth Performances of Nile Tilapia |
| title_sort | sub lethal effects of predators in aquaculture assessment of chronic exposure to conspecific alarm substance on feeding and growth performances of nile tilapia |
| topic | chemical communication prey–predator system growth feeding stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/4/174 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rafaelatorrespereira sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT alexandreluizarvigo sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT caioakiramiyai sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT augustorysevassilveira sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT perciliacardosogiaquinto sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT heltoncarlosdelicio sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT leonardojosegilbarcellos sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia AT rodrigoegydiobarreto sublethaleffectsofpredatorsinaquacultureassessmentofchronicexposuretoconspecificalarmsubstanceonfeedingandgrowthperformancesofniletilapia |