Glycogen Stores in Trout Tissues Before and After Stream Planting

Abstract

Changes in the glycogen reserves of epaxial and heart muscle of trout were followed after stream planting. Muscle glycogen recovered quickly in large fish; more slowly in smaller ones, and was related to earlier reported changes in liver glycogen and blood lactic acid. Heart glycogen increased initially, but fell again shortly after feeding became stabilized. Muscle glycogen reserves of wild trout were lower in the presence of hatchery fish than in their absence. A depletion of some metabolite, such as glycogen, in conjunction with an increased body demand due to raised basal metabolism was suggested as a factor in delayed mortality.