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Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion in the catfishMystus armatus, with special reference to swimming speed and ambient oxygen

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Proceedings / Indian Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Oxygen consumption, ammonia excretion and ammonia quotient (AQ) (vol. NH3/vol.O2) in the catfish,Mystus armatus, acclimated to and tested in fresh water at 30°C, were obtained with special reference to swimming speed and ambient oxygen. At normoxia the fish maintained an AQ of about 0·12, while at low ambient oxygen (below 2 ppm) the AQ increased sharply to a value of 0·3 indicating an increase in protein metabolism of hypoxic conditions.Mystus armatus exercising continuously for 5 hr at various swimming speeds, utilized more proteins during the later phase of exercise. The increased protein utilization may be of advantage in maintaining acid-base balance and also in conserving sodium (Na+) in fish.

In the recovery metabolism ofMystus armatus after hypoxic asphyxiation, the oxygen consumption showed a clearcut rise over the prehypoxic level, indicating that an oxygen debt was accumulating inMystus armatus exposed to hypoxia.

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Author notes

  1. N Sukumaran

    Present address: Department of Fishery Science, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, 641 003, Coimbatore

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  1. Department of Biological Sciences, Madurai University, 625 021, Madurai

    N Sukumaran & M N Kutty

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  1. N Sukumaran
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Sukumaran, N., Kutty, M.N. Oxygen consumption and ammonia excretion in the catfishMystus armatus, with special reference to swimming speed and ambient oxygen. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 86, 195–206 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03050948

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03050948

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