Study of the osmotic regulation processing in the juvenile Persian sturgeon, Acipenser persicus. Borodin, 1897 in transfer directly to the Caspian seawater

The aim of this study was to transfer directly juvenile Acipenser persicus from freshwater to the Caspian Seawater (CSW). The fish in different age and size (weight (W) & length (L)) groups (I: 35days, W: 2.75±0.15g & L: 7.93±0.47cm; II: 50days, W: 3.15±0.12g & L: 8.31±0.28cm; III: 65days, W: 4.33±0.12g & L: 9.39±0.29cm; n=90 for each group) and in two different saline water (FW: <0.5‰ and CSW: 12.5‰) were investigated. The fish were transferred directly from FW to CSW. After 168 hours, blood samples were taken from the fish. The results showed that the survival in all groups in CSW was from 56% up to 76% and increased with increasing age and weight of fish. Some hematological parameters and levels of cortisol, osmolarity and ion concentration (Na+, K+, Ca+2 and Mg+2) in the plasma were determined. The functional levels of the mechanism of osmotic and ionic homeostasis were similar in all groups (P>0.05) but differed in experimental media (P<0.05). Significant differences were observed between the levels of plasma ion concentrations in different media (P<0.05). Plasma Na+, K+ and Ca+2 concentrations were higher than those of FW media, but lower than in Brackish water media (P<0.05). Plasma Mg+2 concentrations were lower than those of FW and Brackish water media (P<0.05). The Hct, Hb, MCV, MCH and plasma osmolarity decreased and MCHC and plasma cortisol levels increased with increasing salinity (P<0.05). But the number of WBC and RBC did not change (P<0.05) and reached a stable state. Therefore, it is possible to release juvenile sturgeon directly from FW to CSW with increasing weight and age.