Mitigation of transportation stress in common carp, Cyprinus carpio, by administration of turmeric

Stress is an inevitable and unpredictable process, which can be interceded through various aquaculture practices. Transportation is one of those aqua-husbandry practices that induces stress and immunosuppression in cultured fish. The present study intended to evaluate the ameliorative effects of dietary turmeric on common carp, Cyprinus carpio, based on antioxidant, immunological and tissue health characteristics at pre- and posttransportation. Diets containing four different levels of turmeric [0% (CTL), 0.5% (0.5 T), 1% (1 T), and 2% (2 T)] were fed to common carp (average weight: 45.2 g) for 2 weeks; then, the fish were placed in plastic bags containing 2.5 L water and 5 L pure oxygen and transported for 3 h in a van. Samples of blood and water were collected before and after the transportation. Transportation led to deterioration of the water quality parameters, as evidenced by declines in dissolved oxygen and pH levels, but elevations in alkalinity, total ammonia and unionized ammonia levels. Fish from 1 T treatment exhibited significantly highest water dissolved oxygen post transportation. Significant decrements in plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total immunoglobulin (Ig) were observed due to transportation-induced stress. Whereas, plasma cortisol, glucose, lactate, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lysozyme levels enhanced due to transportation-mediated stress in the fish. The transportation stress was mitigated in 0.5 T and 1 T treatments, which were reflected in terms of decrements in plasma cortisol, glucose, ALT, AST, ammonia, SOD (just in 1 T), CAT, and MDA levels, as well as increments in plasma total Ig and TAC levels in the fish. The above findings conclude that turmeric supplementation at 1% could be used as an excellent feed additive in order to ameliorate the adverse effects of transportation in common carp.