This paper describes the design of a modified Brett-type respirometer for use with fish up to 2 kg at swimming speeds as high as 2.5 m·s(-1). Control of the respirometer, experimental monitoring and data acquisition are performed by computer. Water velocity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and carbon dioxide can be controlled at predetermined levels to enable experiments to be conducted over several days with minimal deterioration in water quality.
We examined the effects of swim bladder overinflation associated with dissolved gas supersaturation on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The change in swim bladder volume with increased swim bladder pressure was measured in fish subjected to a decrease in ambient pressure. An expansion of swim bladder volume occurs that is related to the excess swim bladder pressure. The volume change results in a decrease in density and positive buoyancy in the fish. Small fish are adversely affected when exposed to gas supersaturated water because of the high swim bladder pressure required to force gas out the pneumatic duct. Changes in behaviour and depth distribution of fish held in gas supersaturated water were measured in a 2 m deep observation column. A large change in density caused small fish to increase depth and compensate for the swim bladder expansion. Although swim bladder inflation occurs for all sizes of trout held in gas supersaturated water, the impact is greatest for small fish and they must compensate by seeking depth. However, adequate depth to compensate for positive buoyancy may not always exist. In such a case, fish must swim continuously in a head down position to overcome excess buoyancy. The power necessary for a fish to swim with an overinflated swim bladder is greatest for small fish that show the largest change in density.
We examined the response of the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) swim bladder to gas supersaturated water. Cannulas positioned in the swim bladder of fish were connected to a pressure transducer, allowing direct measurement of swim bladder pressure. When denied access to the surface, fish held in supersaurated water showed an increase in swim bladder pressure. This response showed a strong dependence on the total gas pressure and the oxygen partial pressure of the water. The minimum level of gas supersaturation observed to cause this response corresponds to a ΔP of 27 mmHg [Formula: see text]; 1 mmHg = 133.3 Pa). The threshold ΔP for swim bladder inflation increased as the partial pressure of dissolved oxygen increased. Movement of supersaturated gases from the arterial system into the swim bladder is passive and causes a rise in swim bladder pressure until the diffusion gradient is nil or the gas is expelled through the pneumatic duct. The threshold for release of gas out the pneumatic duct is dependent on the size of the fish. Small fish have higher duct release pressures and are subject to a higher degree of pressure buildup within the swim bladder than larger fish.
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