Effect of the diet on the stress response to a simulated transportation experiment of fingerlings of Salmo marmoratus

Under intensive culture conditions, fish are subjected to increased stress that has negative impacts on the fish overall performance. Though good management practices contributes to reduce stressor effects, the possible role of the diet quality in modulating acute stress response has been poorly investigated in fish. The objective of this study was to evaluate the modulation of acute stress response by different diets in marbled trout, Salmo marmoratus. The results showed that a poor diet, beyond reducing growth and survival, can also affect fish acute stress response and that cortisol levels measured in non-invasive matrices such fins or skin mucus proved reliable to study acute stress response in marbled trout.