Effects of skeletal deformities on swimming performance and recovery from exhaustive exercise in triploid Atlantic salmon

• Published in: Diseases of Aquatic Organisms
• Main Authors: Powell, MD, Jones, M, Lijalad, M
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Inter-Research 2009
• Subjects: Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences; Fisheries Sciences; Aquaculture; Atlantic salmon
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao02056; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19593934; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/61791

ABSTRACT: The occurrence of spinal deformity in aquaculture can be considerable, and a high rateof deformity has been suggested in triploid smolts in Tasmania. However, the physiological performanceof fish with skeletal deformities has not been addressed. The swimming performance andoxygen consumption of triploid Atlantic salmon smolts with either a vertebral fusion (platyspondyly)or multifocal scoliosis were compared to normal (non-deformed) triploid smolts. Fish with vertebralfusion attained swim speeds similar to normal fish, whereas scoliotic fish were unable to attaincomparable swim speeds. Routine and maximum oxygen consumption was higher for deformed fishcompared with normal fish, translating into apparent increased routine metabolic scope in vertebralfusion fish, and equivocal scope in scoliotic fish compared with normal controls. Deformed fish developeda lower excess post-exercise oxygen consumption compared to non-deformed fish, suggestingthey are either incapable of sustained anaerobic activity or possess an increased recovery capacity.These data suggest that skeletal deformity has differential effects on swimming performancedepending upon the type of deformity but imposes a significant metabolic cost on salmon smolts.