Comparative study of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) accumulation in bold and shy Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis)

Abstract

Inspired from discussions around human dietetics and behavioral traits, the study presumed that bold fish may have better long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) accumulation strengths than shy fish, when subjected to a common food. Using Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) model similar in age and sexually immature, it was investigated whether any statistically significant difference in the LC-PUFA accumulation from food to liver or brain between size-matched bold and shy individuals exist. Results suggest an enhanced accumulation of LC-PUFAs such as arachidonic acid (ARA, 20:4n-6), eicosatrienoic acid (ETA, 20:3n-3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n-3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) happen from feed (p < 0.05) to either liver or brain. However, we found no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) in overall fatty acids profile or LC-PUFA of liver or brain between bold and shy individuals, neither any differences in potential eicosanoid actions (as mediated by LC-PUFAs ARA: EPA ratio) in their brain or liver, when fed a common feed/ lipid source. As such the original presumption was rejected. The bold and shy Eurasian perch are similar in their capabilities to selectively incorporate or endogenously fortify LC-PUFA content. The study concludes that the endogenous pool or stoichiometry of LC-PUFAs seem unrelated to boldness or shyness in fish. The managerial implication of the findings is to better link the behavioral traits in aquaculture or fish ethology to nutrition and physiology.