Blood Chemistry Values for Shovelnose and Lake Sturgeon

Abstract

Blood chemistry panels are commonly used for assessing the general health of vertebrate animals. Here, we present novel blood chemistry data for two North American sturgeon species, shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus and lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens. Measurements were done using a portable chemistry analyzer (VetScan Analyzer; Abaxis). Among the plasma values measured (mean ± SD for shovelnose and lake sturgeon, respectively) were total proteins (3.7 ± 0.9 and 2.8 ± 0.4 g/dL), albumin (2.0 ± 0.5 and 1.1 ± 0.2 g/dL), globulin (1.7 ± 0.7 and 1.7 ± 0.3 g/dL), glucose (107 ± 46 and 62 ± 9.7 mg/dL), sodium (Na⁺; 132 ± 3.6 and 150 ± 14 mEq/L), potassium (K⁺; 3.5 ± 0.2 and 2.8 ± 1.7 mEq/L), phosphorus (10.4 ± 1.9 and 11.6 ± 3.6 mg/dL), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST; 676 ± 433 and 634 ± 234 IU/L). Higher values for total proteins, albumin, glucose, and Na⁺ in shovelnose sturgeon than in lake sturgeon probably are the result of handling stress. In addition, the plasma of male shovelnose sturgeon had higher concentrations of AST, glucose, and globulin than did that of females, whereas the plasma of females had higher concentrations of albumin and K⁺ than that of males. This study is the first to report blood chemistry data for shovelnose sturgeon. Robust blood chemistry databases can be used by aquaculturists and fish managers for monitoring sturgeon health.

Received July 8, 2011; accepted February 2, 2012

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank all who participated in the collection and processing of the shovelnose sturgeon, especially T. Stefanovage, Reuben Goforth, and the staff of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Purdue's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. We also are thankful to J. Gadlage, A. Muir, and R. Mollenhauer for their assistance in the laboratory. We thank the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Fish Hatchery at Genoa, Wisconsin, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wild Rose State Fish Hatchery, and the Michigan DNR Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery for providing the hatchery-reared lake sturgeon and Purdy's Fishery (Point Edward, Ontario) for providing the wild-caught lake sturgeon. The experimental procedures used in this research were approved by the Purdue University Animal Care and Use Committee in protocol 04-109. The lake sturgeon component of this project was funded by the Great Lakes Fishery Commission and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University.