Abstract
Stress and aggression have negative effects on fish welfare and productivity in aquaculture. Thus, research to understand aggression and stress in farmed fish is required. The neuropeptides arginine-vasotocin (AVT) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) are involved in the control of stress and aggression. Therefore, we investigated the effect of agonistic interactions on the gene expression of AVT, CRF and their receptors in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The social interactions lead to a clear dominant-subordinate relationship with dominant fish feeding more and being more aggressive. Subordinate fish had an upregulation of the AVT receptor (AVT-R), an upregulation of CRF mRNA levels, and higher plasma cortisol levels. The attenuating effect of AVT on aggression in rainbow trout is proposed to be mediated by AVT-R, and the attenuating effect of the CRF system is proposed to be mediated by CRF.
Highlights
Stress-related behaviour, is a problem in aquaculture as it results in lowered productivity and reduced welfare of farmed fish (The EFSA Journal 2009)
The general stress response of teleost fish is well studied (Wendelaar Bonga 1997), and in aquaculture the stress is often related to aggressive behaviour (Bergqvist and Gunnarsson 2011)
The AVP/AVT is involved in the stress response as an adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretagogue in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in mammals, and in the hypothalamic-pituitaryinterrenal (HPI) axis in teleost fish (Fryer et al 1985; Gillies et al 1982; Tonon et al 1986)
Summary
Stress-related behaviour, is a problem in aquaculture as it results in lowered productivity and reduced welfare of farmed fish (The EFSA Journal 2009). The general stress response of teleost fish is well studied (Wendelaar Bonga 1997), and in aquaculture the stress is often related to aggressive behaviour (Bergqvist and Gunnarsson 2011). The neuropeptides arginine-vasopressin (AVP) in mammals, or the non-mammalian homologue arginine-vasotocin (AVT), and corticotropinreleasing factor (CRF) have been suggested as factors modulating agonistic behaviour and aggression in vertebrates, including teleost fish. The AVP/AVT is involved in the stress response as an adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretagogue in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis in mammals, and in the hypothalamic-pituitaryinterrenal (HPI) axis in teleost fish (Fryer et al 1985; Gillies et al 1982; Tonon et al 1986). Several behaviours, including aggressive behaviour, seem to be modulated by the AVP/AVT system [see reviews by Balment et al (2006), Godwin and
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