Toxic effects of juvenile sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria by ammonia exposure at different water temperature

Juvenile sablefish, Anoplopoma fimbria (mean length 17.1 ± 2.4 cm, and mean weight 75.6 ± 5.7 g) were used to evaluate toxic effects on antioxidant systems, immune responses, and stress indicators by ammonia exposure (0, 0.25, 0.75, and 1.25 mg/L) at different water temperature (12 and 17 °C) in 1 and 2 months. In antioxidant responses, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly increased by ammonia exposure, whereas glutathione (GSH) was decreased. In immune responses, lysozyme and phagocytosis activity were significantly increased by ammonia exposure. In stress indicators, plasma glucose, heat shock protein 70 (HSP 70), and cortisol were significantly increased. At high water temperature (17 °C), alterations by ammonia exposure were more distinctly. The results of this study indicated that ammonia exposure can induce toxic effects in the sablefish, and high water temperature can affect the ammonia exposure toxicity.