Effect of incubation temperature on oxygen consumption and ammonia production by Japanese medaka, Oryzias latipes, eggs and newly hatched larvae

To develop a database for use in designing sealed‐container bioassays, oxygen consumption and ammonia production rates were compared for eggs and newly hatched larvae of Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes). At 23, 26 and 29°C, the total amount of oxygen required to hatch an egg (49 to 54 μg O2.egg⁻¹) was independent of temperature, but total oxygen required at 20°C (77 μg O2.egg⁻¹) was significantly greater. Eggs produced no measurable ammonia (TAmm), but newly hatched larva produced 14 ng TAmm.h⁻¹.larva⁻¹ at 23°C and up to 48 ng TAmm.h⁻¹.larva⁻¹ at 29°C. When exposure to free air was denied, (a) oxygen, not ammonia, was the limiting factor for normal egg development, and (b) newly hatched larvae were unable to inflate their swimbladder. Copyright © 1990 SETAC

Duke Scholars

Author David E. Hinton Environmental Natural Science