Some studies and scientific investments have been done in aquaculture aiming to minimize the stress of the fish due to different factors, as management, nutritional status, water quality, temperature, photoperiod, and salinity. This study aimed to verify the effect of photoperiod on locomotor activity and plasma levels of cortisol and glucose in female Lambari. One hundred and twenty female Lambari adult were maintained in aquaria of 20 liters each in a completely randomized design with three treatments (T1 = 0Light: 24Dark, T2 = 12L: 12D, T3 = 24L: 0D) and four replications. The daily locomotor activity was registered during 15 days using an infrared photocell. After 40 days of experiment and previous fasting for 24 hours, fish were euthanized by a lethal dose of benzocaine. Female Lambari featured a diurnal rhythm of locomotor activity. Lambari subjected to 12:12 and LD photoperiod presented higher cortisol (12L:12E: 190.00 ± 37.73 ng/mL e 24L:0E: 148.850 ± 32.77 ng/mL) and locomotor activity levels and also lower survival rates (30.0 ± 7.07%) when compared to the LD photoperiod (cortisol: 85.570± 7.99 ng/mL, survival rates: 72.5± 4.330%). The glucose concentration (32.167 ± 22.73 mg/dL) and the growth (7.050±0.59cm) of fish subjected to LD photoperiod was significantly lower than in the other treatments. We conclude that light plays an important role in the growth, behavior and welfare of female Lambari. Besides, our data highlighted that fish submitted to a long light period present a more stressed and more aggressive status when compared to fish submitted to a continuous darkness.Index terms: Fish, synchronizer, glucose, cortisol, swimming behaviour. RESUMOAlguns estudos científicos e investimentos têm sido realizados na aquicultura com o objetivo de minimizar o estresse dos peixes, por diversos fatores, como a gestão, a salinidade do estado nutricional, qualidade da água, temperatura, fotoperíodo e salinidade. Este trabalho teve como objetivo verificar o efeito do fotoperíodo na atividade locomotora e níveis plasmáticos de cortisol e glicose em fêmeas de lambari. Cento e vinte fêmeas de lambaris adultas foram mantidas em aquários de 20 litros cada um, em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com três tratamentos (T1 = 0 Luz:24 Escuro, T2 = 12L:12E, T3 = 24L:0E) e quatro repetições. A atividade locomotora diária dos lambaris foi registrada durante 15 dias por meio de uma fotocélula infravermelha. Após 40 dias de experimento os peixes, mantidos a jejum de 24 horas, foram previamente anestesiados com benzocaína. As fêmeas de lambaris apresentaram um ritmo de atividade locomotora diurna. Lambaris submetidos aos fotoperíodos 12L:12E e 24L:0E apresentaram maiores níveis de cortisol (12L:12E: 190.00 ± 37.73 ng/mL e 24L:0E: 148.850 ± 32.77 ng/mL) e atividade locomotora, além de menores taxas de sobrevivência (30,0 ± 7,07%) em relação ao regime de 0L:24E (cortisol: 85.570± 7.99 ng/mL, taxa de sobrevivência: 72.5± 4.330%) A concentração de glicose (32.167 ± 22.73 mg/dL) e o crescimento (7.050±0,59cm) dos peixe...

ABSTRACT. The present study examined the effect of adding the antioxidants vitamins C and E on the quality of semen cryopreserved of curimba (Prochilodus lineatus). Semen samples from nine breeding males were collected for analysis of rate (%) and duration (s) of sperm motility. The sperm pool was diluted into three cryoprotective solutions: Solution A: 5 gr. Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) added with 5 mL dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and distilled water to 100 mL; Solution B: Solution A + 0.0001 mg vitamin E; Solution C: Solution A + 0.0001 mg vitamin C. The vitamins C and E were not toxic to the semen of curimba. The sperm motility did not present any significant difference. However, the semen cryopreserved with vitamin C had a longer duration of the motility after thawing. Therefore, the vitamin C is recommended for the cryopreservation of the semen of curimba.Keywords: sperm motility, fish, reproduction, cryoprotective solution. Qualidade de sêmen de Curimba (Prochilodus lineatus) criopreservados com vitaminasRESUMO. O presente estudo avaliou o efeito da adição de vitaminas antioxidante C e E sobre a qualidade do sêmen criopreservado de curimba (Prochilodus lineatus). As amostras de sêmen de nove machos reprodutores foram coletadas para análise da taxa (%) e duração (s) da motilidade espermática. O pool de esperma foi diluída em três soluções crioprotetores: Solução A: 5 gr. de solução de descongelamento Beltsville (BTS) adicionaram-se 5 mL de dimetilsulfóxido (DMSO) e água destilada para 100 mL; Solução B: Solução A + 0,0001 mg de vitamina E; Solução C: Solução A + 0,0001 mg vitamina C. A vitamina C e E não foram tóxicos para o sêmen de curimba. A motilidade espermática não apresentou diferença significativa. No entanto, o sêmen criopreservado com a vitamina C teve uma duração mais longa da motilidade pós-descongelamento. Portanto, a vitamina C é recomendada para a criopreservação do sêmen de curimba.Palavras-chave: motilidade espermática, peixe, reprodução, solução crioprotetora.

Insemination dose used in the artificial fertilization of piracanjuba ovocyte (Brycon orbignyanus)Piracanjuba (Brycon orbignyanus Valenciennes, 1849) is an migratory fish listed as an endangered species. The aim of this study was to determine the insemination dose for in vitro fertilization of piracanjuba oocytes. The experiments were arranged in a randomized block design with four treatments and three replications. Three piracanjuba couples selected from the breeding tanks at the Itutinga Environmental Station (IES-CEMIG), Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in the spawning period of 2006-2007, were applied crude extract of carp pituitary hormone for the production of gametes. Four different treatments were used for fertilization of 0.1 gram of oocytes: 10 μL, 20 μL, 30 μL and 40 μL of sperm. The samples were activated with 5 mL of water from the tank and then taken to a hatchery with constant water flow and temperature at 28 ºC. After 8 and 16 hours, the rates of fertilization (viable eggs) and hatching eggs were analyzed, respectively. The results were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability level. Tested sperm/oocyte ratios did not alter the rates of fertilization and hatching (P>0.05). The sperm/oocyte ratio ranging from 10.4 x10 5 to 41.6 x10 5 was efficient to achieve good fertility rates.

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ABSTRACT. The present study examined the effect of adding the antioxidants vitamins C and E on the quality of semen cryopreserved of curimba (Prochilodus lineatus). Semen samples from nine breeding males were collected for analysis of rate (%) and duration (s) of sperm motility. The sperm pool was diluted into three cryoprotective solutions: Solution A: 5 gr. Beltsville Thawing Solution (BTS) added with 5 mL dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and distilled water to 100 mL; Solution B: Solution A + 0.0001 mg vitamin E; Solution C: Solution A + 0.0001 mg vitamin C. The vitamins C and E were not toxic to the semen of curimba. The sperm motility did not present any significant difference. However, the semen cryopreserved with vitamin C had a longer duration of the motility after thawing. Therefore, the vitamin C is recommended for the cryopreservation of the semen of curimba.Keywords: sperm motility, fish, reproduction, cryoprotective solution. Qualidade de sêmen de Curimba (Prochilodus lineatus) criopreservados com vitaminasRESUMO. O presente estudo avaliou o efeito da adição de vitaminas antioxidante C e E sobre a qualidade do sêmen criopreservado de curimba (Prochilodus lineatus). As amostras de sêmen de nove machos reprodutores foram coletadas para análise da taxa (%) e duração (s) da motilidade espermática. O pool de esperma foi diluída em três soluções crioprotetores: Solução A: 5 gr. de solução de descongelamento Beltsville (BTS) adicionaram-se 5 mL de dimetilsulfóxido (DMSO) e água destilada para 100 mL; Solução B: Solução A + 0,0001 mg de vitamina E; Solução C: Solução A + 0,0001 mg vitamina C. A vitamina C e E não foram tóxicos para o sêmen de curimba. A motilidade espermática não apresentou diferença significativa. No entanto, o sêmen criopreservado com a vitamina C teve uma duração mais longa da motilidade pós-descongelamento. Portanto, a vitamina C é recomendada para a criopreservação do sêmen de curimba.Palavras-chave: motilidade espermática, peixe, reprodução, solução crioprotetora.

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Aquaculture is the fastest growing livestock activity in Brazil, producing important sources of protein for human consumption. Most Brazilian fish farms that work with native species perform in vitro reproduction, given that these migrating species cannot release gametes without hormonal induction. To succeed with in vitro reproduction, the evaluation of reproductive parameters of both genders is necessary. The objective of this review is to describe the main reproductive parameters of fish, which must be evaluated for in vitro reproduction.

The Brazilian freshwater fish diversity is the richest in the world. The majority this fish species migrate during the spawning season a phenomenon known as piracema . Urbanization, pollution, hydroelectric dams and deforestation are some of the causes of stock depletion or even local extinction of some of these species [ ].The disappearance of native fish species and the decrease of genetic stocks undertake the aquatic ecosystem and commercial food production. Cryopreservation of semen is a biotechnology that has the ability to minimize these problems, increasing flexibility and operationalization of the reproductive period and improving assisted reproduction programs in native fish [ , ]. This also enables the biotechnology application of new techniques such as transplantation of gametes to form chimeras [ ].May be cited as advantages of semen cryopreservation: i sincronyzation of the gametes release from both sexes, ii semen economy, iii easeness of the management with breeders, iv transport of gametes from different locations and v genebanks for genetic selection programs and species conservation [ ] and decreased need for males breeders from nature.However, the heterogeneity of semen responses after freezing has hampered the standardization of a protocol for the different species of fish [ ]. Protocols have been tested for Salminus