Linking swimming performance, cardiac pumping ability and cardiac anatomy in rainbow trout

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.01587
• Publication Date: 2005-05-05T18:13:33Z
• Authors: Guy Claireaux; David J. McKenzie; A. Gaylene Genge; Aurélien Chatelier; Joël Aubin; Anthony P. Farrell
• Keywords: Respirometer

We exploited the inherent individual diversity in swimming performance of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to investigate hypothesis that maximum cardiac is linked active metabolic rate (AMR) and critical speed (U crit). Six hundred juveniles (body mass approximately 150 g) were screened using a challenge 1.2 m s(-1) identify 'poor swimmers' 'good swimmers', i.e. first last 60 fish fatigue, respectively. These 120 individually tagged then reared common tanks for 9 months, where they grew at similar rates achieved body 1100 g. Critical crit) was measured tunnel respirometers, with simultaneous recordings output via ventral aortic flow probe. The group individuals as poor swimmers remained so, significantly (27%) lower U crit than good [89+/-10 cm vs 123+/-5 (mean +/-s.e.m.), respectively, N = 6], 19% AMR (147+/-12 micromol min(-1) kg(-1) 181+/-11 kg(-1), respectively), 30% vivo (47.3+/-4.7 ml 68.0+/-5.2 respectively). When compared an situ heart preparation, hearts from had (26%) (45.9+/-1.9 56.4+/-2.3 respectively) 32% power high afterload (3.96+/-0.58 mW g(-1) 5.79+/-1.97 g(-1), Cardiac morphology visualised by Doppler echography on anaesthetised revealed more rounded ventricle (reduced length height ratio) swimmers, which turn correlated condition factor. results provide clear evidence indicate simple screening test can distinguish between rate, crit, maximal pumping capacity ventricular morphology. distinguishing traits may have been retained months despite growing environment growth.