2011 2nd International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology

IPCBEE vol.6 (2011) © (2011) IACSIT Press, Singapore

Acute Effects of Different Temperature in the Blood Parameters of Common Carp

(Cyprinus carpio)

Abbas Bozorgnia Mehdi Hosseinifard

Corresponding Author Islamic Azad university
Islamic Azad university babol branch
Qaemshahr branch Babol, Iran
qaemshahr, Iran (Faculty member of Fishery group)
(Faculty member of Fishery group) Email address:sm_hosseinifard@yahoo.com
Email address:dr_bozorgnia@yahoo.com

Reza Alimohammadi
Islamic Azad university
Qaemshahr branch
qaemshahr, Iran
(Faculty member of Fishery group)
Email address: sr_alimohammadi@yahoo.com

Abstract—The common carp (cyprinus carpio) is an important
species for rearing in temperate climate in Iran. Temperature
is an important factor which effected immunology response in
fishes. Blood factors changed by different temperatures in
fishes.The effect of different water temperatures(22 ˚C control),
(15, 25 and 32 ˚C) on hematological parameters in blood of 24
fishes mean weight 100±15gr and mean length 22/5±1cm was
investigated in this species following acute(12h) exposure. Red
blood cell level increased at 32˚C and decreased at 15 ˚C when
compared to control and had significant different. Hemoglobin,
mean corpuscular volum(MCV), mean corpuscular
hemoglobin(MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin
concentration(MCHC) in RBC were changed but hematocrit
was unchanged at 12h. In acute experiment the number of
WBC level increased at 32 ˚C and decreased at 15 ˚C when to
compared to control. Taken together, these results suggest that
temperature and time of exposure influence blood parameters
of Cyprinus carpio.
Keywords: Fish; Temperature; Blood; Common carp
I. INTRODUCTION
Temperature is known to affect the functional
immunology response in ectothermic animals like fishes.
Both the habitat and a change of temperature can influence
the catalytic properties of enzymes [7].However, the
adaptability of fishes and their ability to exhibit normal
activity at extremes of temperature suggest that cellular
processes may be maintained at appropriate levels following
a period of thermal acclimation or adaptation [5].In
ectothermic organisms, physiological rates can be adjusted to
compensate for some changes in temperature.In fish, thermal
acclimation is generally determined by blood parameters
changes, during which an initial period of thermal stress is
followed by a gradual compensation.When a stable blood
parameters level that is consistent between the old and new
thermal state is reached, the animal is considered to be fully
acclimated [8].Hematological parameters are increasingly
used as indicators of the physiological stress response to
endogenous or exogenous changes in fish [1].In Iran, there is
interest in the aquaculture of fish species that can survive and
grow fast in the warm water.The common carp (Cyprinus
carpio) have such characteristics [6].However, questions on
the metabolic traits of the species and its ability to cope with
environmental stressors have received little attention.
Moreover, data on comparison and selection of species based
on their biochemical potential are still lacking.Effects of
three different temperatures during a acute treatment on the
blood parameters of the freshwater fish Cyprinus carpio
were studied to investigate the ability of this species to cope
with temperature stress. The range of temperatures selected
in these trials was based on the environmental temperatures
which the common carp encounters in Iran. The questions
posed in this study were: (i) Is thermal shock equally
effective as long-term exposures? (ii) Is cold shock as
stressful as heat shock? (iii) Are the blood parameters
changes, observed under temperature variations, a relevant
tool to evaluate stress? This is a primary study to assess the
thermal biochemical responses of Cyprinus carpio for future
biological comparisons.
II. MATERIALS AND METHODS
A. Fish
Common carp Cyprinus carpio obtained from a local fish
farm were maintained in 100-l tanks with constantly aerated
water for 7 days at a constant temperature of 22±0.4 ˚C.The

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animals were fed commercial fish food (GFC) daily to avoid
the accumulation of food residues in the tanks.
B. Experimental procedure
Twenty-four common carp (body weight 100±15 g;
length 22.5±1 cm; n=6 mean±S.E.M.) were distributed
evenly among four 100-l continuously aerated tanks.These
were static systems cleaned by suction daily, where
approximately 10% of the water in the tanks was replaced
daily.The temperature was then changed to the target
temperature of 15, 25, or 32 ˚C over a period of 12 h,
whereas the control group was kept at 22 ˚C.Fish were
maintained at these four temperatures for 12 h and then
sampled[2].Consequently the chosen temperatures were
nonlethal but close to the thermal limits of this species.
C. Water quality
DO2 , pH and temperature were monitored daily.
Hardness and alkalinity were measured weekly according to
standard methods for analysis of waste water [2] , and total
ammonia nitrogen (TAN), un-ionized ammonia-N and nitrite
was determined three times a week.
D. Blood component analysis
Blood samples were quickly collected from the caudal
vein of serially netted and manually immobilized common
carp without anesthesia.Blood was collected with
heparinized syringes and plasma was obtained after
centrifugation at 5400×g for 10 min and stored at -20 ˚C for
subsequent analysis.The percentage of hematocrit and
hemoglobin concentration (g/dl) was determined in whole
blood.
E. Statistical analysis
All statistical analyses were carried out using the spss
Instat program (spss software, version 9–2006).Data for
water quality, hematocrit, hemoglobin, obtained in each
experiment were tested for significant differences by one-
way analysis of variance followed by the Tukey Kramer test.
P values <0.05 were considered to be significant.
III. RESULTS
The water quality parameters (DO2 , pH, hardness,
alkalinity, total ammonia nitrogen un-ionized ammonia-N
and nitrite were not changed by the different temperatures
(data not shown).Red blood cell level increased at 32 ˚C and
decreased at 15 ˚C when compared to control and had
significant different. Hemoglobin there was significant
increased at 32 ˚C compared to control.Mean corpuscular
volum value was significant(p<0/05) decreased at 32 ˚C
compared to control.Mean corpuscular hemoglobin value
was significant(p<0/05) increased at 32 ˚C compared to
control.Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration value
was significant(p<0/05) increased at 32 ˚C compared to
control.Hematocrit was not to differ significantly(p>0/05) at
12h (Table1).
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White blood cell level was significant(p<0/05) increased
at 32 ˚C when to compared to control (Table2).
IV. CONCLUSION
Water temperature significantly affects some
physiological fish processes such as growth and
metabolism.Nonoptimal water temperature, insufficient food
and low dietary protein have been found to inhibit fish
growth [4].Hematological indices are of different sensitivity
to various environmental factors and chemicals
[14].Hematology and clinical chemistry analysis, although
not often used in fish medicine, can provide substantial
diagnostic information.Studies have shown that when the
water quality is affected by different temperature, any
physiological changes will be reflected in the values of one
or more of hematological parameters [15].On the basis of
hematological studies, it would be possible to predict the
physiological state of fish in natural water
bodies.Hematology studies in teleosts have indicated that
hematocrit values might be useful as a general indicator of
fish health, since fish given iron deficient diets, or those
exhibiting anaemia, all possess reduced hematocrit (HCT)
values [13]. Previous hematological studies of nutritional
effects [9], infectious diseases [10] and pollutants [11]
brought knowledge that erythrocytes are a major and reliable
indicator of various sources of stress [12].As shown in Table
1,hematocrit concentrations were not altered by the different
water temperatures.The values detected in our experiment
are in agreement with those found by houston et al
(1974)who studied hematologic characteristics Cyprinus
carpio. The result of experiment shown with increased a
temperature rbc level increased.When increased temperature
activity of oxygen absorbing by rbc reducing, thus body for
compensation with this reduced, increased number of rbc in
blood.Thus mcv level reduced in blood.Hb level connected
with number of rbc.When the number of rbc increased, hb
level increased.The number of wbc one of the important
indicator of healthy or disease in fishes.When increased
temperature the number of wbc increased in blood.
This fact attests good tolerance of the species to this
range of temperature variation.This result plus the observed
hematological responses indicate that the range of
temperature employed in these experiments act as a stressor.
The present results demonstrate that common carp show the
classical stress response either to cold or heat shock.
However, despite the lack of change in hematological values
with temperature, the metabolic responses were distinct.
Cold shock was more stressful to common carp than heat
shock.We can conclude that the present set of data can
partially explain the ability of Cyprinus carpio to resist a
wide range of environmental temperatures.
 TABLE 1. HEMATOLOGICAL RED BLOOD CELL DATA FOR FISH EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE FOR 12H

Temperature 22˚C (control) 15˚C 25˚C 32˚C

RBC×104/
140 ± 9.31 138 ± 3.71 149 ± 1.07* 158 ± 4.15*
(mm3)
HCT
(٪) 21.4 ± 1.19 21.4 ± 0.47 22.4 ± 0.40 23.3 ± 0.37
Hb
(gr/dl) 7.4 ± 0.40 7.5 ± 0.43 7.7 ± 0.49 9 ± 0.35*
MCV
(fl)
153.2 ± 0.35 155 ± 0.72* 148.7 ± 0.68* 147.6 ± 0.57*
MCH
(pg) 52.9 ± 0.74 54.3 ± 0.68* 51.7 ± 0.54 57 ± 0.9*
MCHC
(٪) 34.6 ± 0.66 35 ± 0.68 34.7 ± 0.53 38.6 ± 1.04*

The values represent the mean ± S.E.M.(n=6).

*p<0.05 compared to control.

TABLE 2. HEMATOLOGICAL WHITE BLOOD CELL DATA FOR FISH EXPOSED TO DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE FOR 12H

Temperature 22˚C (control) 15˚C 25˚C 32˚C

WBC × 103 / 13.25 ± 0.35 12.71 ± 0.27 13.97 ± 0.08 14.28 ± 0.19*
Lym/
(mm3) 88 ± 4.1 73 ± 2.3* 90 ± 3.4 83 ± 5.8
Mon/
(mm3)
- 1 ± 1.2 1 ± 1.5 -
Neu/
(mm3) 10 ± 1.7 23 ± 2.1* 7 ± 1.5* 13 ± 1.5*
Eso/
(mm3)
2 ± 1.67 3 ± 1.09 2 ± 1.67 4 ± 2.28

The values represent the mean ± S.E.M.(n=6).

*p<0.05 compared to control.
[6] Houston, A.H and cry, D, “Thermoacclinatory variation in
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