Time-course response of cobia ( Rachycentron canadum) to acute stress

Abstract

Cobia ( Rachycentron canadum) is a promising candidate species for aquaculture. In order to evaluate potential problems resulting from husbandry practices, we conducted a study aimed to characterize their hematological response to acute stress. Levels of cortisol, glucose, lysozyme and ceruloplasmin were measured at five time intervals over 24 h following stress induction and compared to baseline levels. In this species stress had a rapid and short-term effect on cortisol and a fast but extended impact on glucose concentrations. We observed a short suppressive effect of stress on lysozyme activity, and late but continuous increase in ceruloplasmin throughout the study. This is the first report on baseline and stress response levels of these parameters in cobia, providing an indication of times for the examination of various indicators of stress.