Effect of thermal shocks on survival and safety responses of oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan, 1849)

This study was performed to determine the severity of hormonal changes and the immune system of oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) in the face of thermal stresses (heat and cold). For this purpose, 80 pieces of prawn with an average weight of 1.5 ±0.3g were prepared from Anzali wetland and in the laboratory after a rest period, under thermal stresses (from 15 ° C to 22 ° C) and cold (from 8 ° C to 15 ° C) for 35 minutes. Liver enzymes (AST and ALT) and cortisol along with hemolymph glucose were measured at each shock intervals. The results showed that due to temperature stress (heat and cold) the levels of glucose, AST, ALT and cortisol increased significantly (P <0.05). Prawns increase their levels of hormone and liver enzymes along with glucose in hemolymph to compensate for stress (P <0.05). During the return to normal conditions (recovery), the rate of return of liver enzymes and cortisol in heat stress was faster than cold stress (P <0.05). This study showed that the immune system response and stress-controlling hormone (cortisol) levels performed better in heat stress.