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Immersion of larval and juvenile walleyes Stizostedion vitreum for 6 h in a 500-mg/L solution of oxytctracycline hydrochloridc or calcein resulted in fluorescent marks on 100% of the otoliths. Few marked fish (<27.0%) were found after immersion in calcein blue. Immersion of larvae at 15°C resulted in significantly higher mortality (57.7%) than at 10°C (20.9%). Mortality at 10°C was lowest for larvae immersed in oxytctracycline (9.0%) and greatest for those immersed in calcein (41.6%). Juvenile mortality (1.3-32.7%) was correlated with high pond water temperatures during June (26.1°C) and August (32.2°C). All of the juveniles survived when immersed in any of the three chemicals in cases where pond water temperatures were less than 20°C at the time of collection.

Fatty acid (FA) composition of fillet tissue can be tailored by transitioning fish from alternative lipid-based, low long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) grow-out feeds to high LC-PUFA "finishing" feeds. To address whether grow-out feed composition influences the responsiveness of fillet tissue to finishing, sunshine bass (SB, Morone chrysops x M. saxatilis) were reared to a submarketable size on grow-out feeds containing fish oil (FO) or a 50:50 blend of FO and coconut (CO), grapeseed (GO), linseed (LO), or poultry (PO) oil. For the final 8 weeks of the trial, fish were either maintained on assigned grow-out feeds or finished with the 100% FO feed. Production performance was unaffected by dietary lipid source, but fillet FA profile generally conformed to nutritional history. Regardless of grow-out regimen, finishing had a significant restorative effect on fillet FA composition; however, complete restoration of control levels of 20:5n-3, 22:6n-3, total LC-PUFA and n-3:n-6 FA ratio was achieved only among fish fed the CO-based grow-out feed. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) appear to be preferential catabolic substrates, whereas medium-chain and long-chain PUFA are selectively deposited in tissues. Provision of SFA in grow-out feeds appears to optimize selective FA metabolism and restoration of beneficial fillet FA profile during finishing.

Nanostructured titanium dioxide (TiO2 ) electrodes, prepared by anodization of titanium, are employed to probe the electron-transfer process of cytochrome b5 (cyt b5 ) by surface-enhanced resonance Raman (SERR) spectroscopy. Concomitant with the increased nanoscopic surface roughness of TiO2 , achieved by raising the anodization voltage from 10 to 20 V, the enhancement factor increases from 2.4 to 8.6, which is rationalized by calculations of the electric field enhancement. Cyt b5 is immobilized on TiO2 under preservation of its native structure but it displays a non-ideal redox behavior due to the limited conductivity of the electrode material. The electron-transfer efficiency which depends on the crystalline phase of TiO2 has to be improved by appropriate doping for applications in bioelectrochemistry.

Marine oil-based finishing diets have been used to restore fillet FA profile in several "medium-fat" fleshed aquaculture species, and a simple dilution model describing FA turnover has been established to predict and tailor final fillet composition. We evaluated finishing diet efficacy and suitability of the dilution model to describe patterns of FA change in a lean-fleshed model, sunshine bass. Two practical diets (45% crude protein, 15% crude lipid) were formulated, respectively containing corn oil (CO) or menhaden oil (MO) as the primary lipid sources. Sunshine bass (age 1 [approximately 14 mo], 347 +/- 8.6 g, mean individual weight +/- SEM) were stocked in a recirculating system and fed the diets according to different feeding regimens during the final 28 wk of the production cycle. Control groups were fed the CO or the MO feeds exclusively; whereas, the remaining treatment groups were transitioned from the CO diet to the MO diet at 4-, 8-, or 12-wk intervals. Upon completion of the feeding trial, fish were harvested, and production performance and fillet composition were assessed. Replacing MO with CO as the primary lipid source in sunshine bass diets yielded fillets with distinctly different FA profiles; however, finishing with a MO-based diet offered significant compensation for CO-associated reductions in fillet long-chain highly unsaturated FA (LC-HUFA). Although complete restoration was not observed, we achieved significant augmentation of endogenous n-3 FA within 4 wk of feeding the MO diet, and observed a significant increase in LC-HUFA and a beneficial shift in n-3:n-6 FA ratio after 8 weeks. Simple dilution accurately predicted tissue composition for most FA; however, deviations from the model were noted, suggesting selective retention of n-3, PUFA, and LC-HUFA and preferential catabolism of saturates. We conclude marine oil-based finishing diets can rapidly augment beneficial FA levels in sunshine bass fillets; however, simple dilution models do not fully describe selective FA metabolism observed for this lean-fleshed fish.

Much of the criticism leveled at aquaculture (e.g., dependency on animal‐derived feedstuffs, nutrient‐laden effluent discharges, and increased organic contamination in edible products) can be traced to the feeds in use. Accordingly, finfish nutritionists are being challenged to formulate feeds that not only meet the nutritional requirements of livestock but also minimize production costs, limit environmental impacts, and enhance product quality. These challenges not only add considerable complexity to finfish nutrition but also afford opportunities to avoid some of the mistakes made by other industries in the past. From a review of the current status of finfish nutrition with respect to major nutrient classes, we comment on future opportunities and promising avenues of research. Alternative protein sources, specifically those derived from marine bycatch, plants, and microbes, are discussed, as well as methods to facilitate their implementation in finfish feeds. Dietary lipid, its role in fish bioenergetics and physiology, and quality of aquaculture products is reviewed with special emphasis on alternative lipid sources and finishing diets. Carbohydrates and fiber are discussed in terms of nutrient‐sparing, least‐cost diet formulation and digestive physiology. Micronutrients are reviewed in terms of current knowledge of requirements and, along with other dietary immunostimulants, are given further consideration in a review of nutriceuticals and application in finfish feeds. The status of nutritional research in new aquaculture species is also outlined. By integrating classical approaches with emerging technologies, dietary formulations, and species, finfish nutritionists may identify means to increase production efficiency and sustainability and provide for the continued success of aquaculture.

Water level regimes affected periodicity of hatching success of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides in two central Illinois reservoirs, Carlyle Lake and Lake Shelbyville. Periodicity of hatching success was determined from daily rings on otoliths of young-of-the-year largemouth bass collected each July during 1988-1990. Hatching success was disrupted during rapid water level rises and drops. Peak hatching success occurred when water levels were relatively stable. No relationship existed between timing of peak hatching success and abundance or sizes attained in first year. Little evidence was found for size-related winter mortality. Largemouth bass recruitment was considerably higher in high-water years than in low-water years, and appeared to be unrelated to water level fluctuations during the spawning season. However, we suggest that water-levelinfluenced hatching disruptions could be critical to year-class strength if water levels were to fluctuate over most of the spawning season.

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