Sustained exercise-trained juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) at a moderate water velocity exhibit improved aerobic swimming performance and increased postprandial metabolic responses

Xiuming Li; Yaoguang Zhang; Xiaojin Li; Hua Zheng; Jianglan Peng; Shijian Fu

doi:10.1242/bio.032425

Sustained exercise-trained juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) at a moderate water velocity exhibit improved aerobic swimming performance and increased postprandial metabolic responses

Biol Open. 2018 Feb 20;7(2):bio032425. doi: 10.1242/bio.032425.

Authors

Xiuming Li^{1

2}, Yaoguang Zhang², Xiaojin Li¹, Hua Zheng¹, Jianglan Peng¹, Shijian Fu³

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China.
² Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Education Ministry), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
³ Laboratory of Evolutionary Physiology and Behavior, Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 400047, China shijianfu9@hotmail.com.

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to examine whether sustained exercise training at four water velocities, i.e. nearly still water (control), 1 body length (BL) s^-1, 2 BL s^-1 and 4 BL s^-1, has effects on swimming performance and digestive metabolism in juvenile black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus). The results demonstrated that fish subjected to sustained training at 2 and 4 BL s^-1 showed significantly higher critical swimming speed (U_crit) and maximum metabolic rate (MMR) over the control group. Fish subjected to sustained training at 1 and 2 BL s^-1 showed a significantly (30 and 54%) prolonged duration, 14 and 17% higher postprandial ṀO₂ increment (i.e. ṀO_2peak), and 62 and 92% more energy expended on specific dynamic action (SDA), respectively, after consuming a similar meal over fish kept in nearly still water. These results suggest that (1) sustained exercise training at a higher speed (2 or 4 BL s^-1) had a positive influence on the aerobic swimming performance of juvenile M. piceus, which may be associated with improved aerobic metabolism; and (2) sustained exercise training at a lower speed (1 or 2 BL s^-1) resulted in elevated postprandial metabolic responses in juvenile M. piceus.

Keywords: Mylopharyngodon piceus; Specific dynamic action; Sustained exercise training; Swimming performance.