Effects of water temperature changes on oxygen consumption and hematological factors in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

Water temperature (WT) is a major environmental factor of metabolic rate in fish; it directly affects food intake, ammonia excretion, oxygen consumption (OC), growth, and survival. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate changes in the OC and the hematological response of olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus because of WT changes. In Exp. I, WT was increased from 20℃ to 29℃ within 18 h and maintained at 29℃ for 96 h. Then, WT was decreased from 29℃ to 20℃ within 18 h and maintained at 20℃ for 24 h. In Exp. II, WT was decreased from 20℃ to 11℃ within 18 h and maintained at 11℃ for 96 h. Then, WT was increased from 11℃ to 20℃ within 18 h and maintained at 20℃ for 24 h. The Exp. III maintained that the Exp. I and II was consecutively. In Exp. I, the OC increased from 116.7 mg O₂ kg^-1 hr^-1 to 317.5 mg O₂ kg^-1 hr^-1 with increasing WT. In Exp. II, the OC decreased from 96.5 mg O₂ kg^-1 hr^-1 to 71.3 mg O₂ kg^-1 hr^-1 with decreasing WT. In Exp. III, OC tended to increase or decrease in inverse proportion to temperature. In Exp. I, cortisol, glucose, and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) values increased with increasing WT. In Exp. II, Cl^-, osmolality, AST, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) values significantly changed during the experimental period: glucose values increased, whereas cortisol values decreased with decreasing WT. Exp. III was shown to be a more stressful environment to olive flounder than Exp. I and Exp. II. The results of our study will be useful for evaluating current aquaculture procedures of olive flounder and developing techniques to minimize stress in aquaculture farms.