Tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum) acclimated to different tropical waters from the Amazon basin shows specific acute-stress responses

Abstract

Stress responses in teleosts include the release of hormones into the bloodstream. Their effects depend on the species and on the environmental conditions. The Amazon basin collects waters of diverse chemical composition, and some fish are able to inhabit several of them. However, the effects of these waters on the stress axis are still unknown. Here we show how acute air-exposure differently affects stress biomarkers in tambaqui (Colossoma macropomum), a tropical model species, when acclimated to two Amazonian waters (Rio Negro –RN- water rich in humic acids and poor in ions, and groundwater –IG- with no humic acids and higher concentration of ions). This study described primary and secondary stress responses after air exposure including plasma cortisol, energy metabolites, pH and ions, skin mucus energy metabolites, as well as gills and kidney Na+/K+-ATPase and Na+/H+-exchanger (NHE) activities. Several differences were described in these stress biomarkers due to the acclimation water. The most remarkable ones include increased mucus glucose only in RN-fish, and mucus lactate only in IG-fish after air exposure. Moreover, an inverse relationship between plasma cortisol and Na+ concentrations as well as a direct relationship between plasma ammonia and branchial NHE activity were observed only in RN-fish. Our results demonstrate how important is to study stress responses in fish acclimated to different environments, as physiological differences can be magnified during episodes of high energy expenditure. In addition to having a direct application in aquaculture, this study will improve the management of critical ecosystems such as the Amazon.