Influence of a Diurnal Oxygen Pulse on Fish Serum Proteins

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Abstract
Sport fish (Lepomis macrochirus and Micropterus salmoides) and rough fish (Ictalurus natalis) were subjected to 3 ppm oxygen for eight hours each day for nine days, in a specially constructed artificial stream. Afterwards, the serum proteins were analyzed by a carefully investigated method of paper electrophoresis. The sport fish altered the composition of their serum proteins, but the course fish did not, and this corresponds to their emperical pollution tolerances. Causes for these changes are suggested. The authors view these as detrimental changes which weaken the ability of sport fish to compete successfully with rough fish in polluted waters. According to this study, the minimum oxygen level (for eight hours) that will not adversely affect these sport fish is well above the generally proposed 3 ppm. Further, as used herein, electrophoresis appears to be very useful for detecting sublethal, yet stressful conditions.

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