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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #220588
Title: Effects of loading density on golden shiner survival during and after hauling

Author
item Pearson, Philip
item Small, Brian
item BEECHAM, RACHEL - MISS VALLEY STATE UNIV
item SINK, TODD - UAPB
item LABARRE, SUSAN - MSU
item MINCHEW, DOUGLAS - MSU

Submitted to: North American Journal of Aquaculture
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2008
Publication Date: 1/1/2009
Citation: Pearson, P.R., Small, B.C., Beecham, R.V., Sink, T.D., Labarre, S.B., Minchew, D.C. 2009. Effects of loading density on golden shiner survival during and after hauling. North American Journal of Aquaculture. 71:24-29.

Interpretive Summary: The golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas is a popular baitfish used by anglers in the United States. These fish are raised in large outdoor culture ponds and are trucked to retail bait shops and wholesalers. Live golden shiners are typically transported in hauling tanks filled with fresh well water that is cooled by unchlorinated block ice and aerated with pure oxygen. Operators of trucks carrying live golden shiners usually transport about 120 to 180 grams of fish per liter of water. A study was conducted to determine if the weight of fish hauled per liter of water could be increased without causing large fish losses. Results of the study showed that golden shiners can be successfully hauled (greater than 99% survival) at weights as high as 240 grams of fish per liter of fresh well water chilled by unchlorinated block ice and aerated with pure oxygen.

Technical Abstract: Four hauling trips of approximately 6 h each were conducted to investigate effects of loading density on survival of golden shiners Notemigonus crysoleucas. Commercially graded golden shiners (mean weight 3.3 g ± 0.04 SE) were transported at densities of 120, 180, and 240 g fish/L in insulated hauling tanks filled with fresh well water, chilled with unchlorinated block ice, and aerated with pure oxygen. The criterion for determining success or failure was golden shiner survival. Transportation at a given density was deemed successful if survival both at trip's end and after 18 h post delivery was = 99%. At all three hauling densities evaluated, survival exceeded 99% both at trip’s end and 18 h post delivery. Furthermore, increasing loading density had no effect on whole-body cortisol concentrations, demonstrating no significant stress response. Un-ionized ammonia concentration increased with loading density, ranging from 0.05 to 0.46 mg/L, but had no effect on fish survival. Results of this study indicate golden shiners can be successfully (= 99 % survival) transported for up to 6 h at 240 g fish/L in well water chilled with unchlorinated block ice and aerated with pure oxygen. Higher loading densities could mitigate the impact of escalating transport cost for commercial farmers.