The Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) stress response was examined by measuring plasma cortisol, glucose and chloride in fish after water level reduction within rearing tanks. Maximum plasma cortisol levels (366±43 (SD) nM and 534±280 nM for Groups 1 and 2, respectively) were observed 20 min after application of the stressor. Cortisol levels were down to control levels 24 h later. The pattern for cortisol changes observed within these two groups were comparable. Plasma glucose and chloride concentrations did not change significantly in either of the experimental groups. The fish in group 2 were then repeatedly subjected to the same stressor every third day. After the fifth exposure to the stressor, blood was obtained from fish at times corresponding to sampling after the first exposure. Their maximum plasma cortisol level only reached 223 (±96) nM, and was down to prestress levels within 2 h. Plasma glucose and chloride concentrations did not change significantly in this second experiment. This challenge test revealed an acute primary response in Atlantic salmon without any apparent harmful secondary responses, that may thus serve as a standardized reference stressor using other fish groups under comparable conditions.

This study was carried out to test the effects of acute stress on the primary and the secondary antibody responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.). Fish received a primary immunization with sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and received a second immunization 11 weeks later. At priming, a group of fish was stressed by water level reduction for 30 min (moderate stress), and another group was stressed severely by applying the stressor twice, with an interval of 6 h, 3 days in a row (severe stress). At the time of the booster, another two groups of previously unstressed, primed fish were treated likewise. Unstressed fish mounted a primary antibody response to SRBC and a secondary response, which was improved compared with the primary response., The primary antibody response against SRBC was impaired by severe, but not moderate, acute stress at priming, whereas the secondary antibody response was unaffected. Both moderate and severe stress at the time of the booster was immunosuppressive in fish that had been primed under non‐stress conditions. It is concluded that cortisol release as a result of stress exposure is most immunosuppressive at the time of the second immunization.