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Hydrogen ion concentration in the gastrointestinal tract of channel catfish
Author(s) -
Page Jimmy W.,
Andrews James W.,
Murai Takeshi,
Murray Morgan W.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/j.1095-8649.1976.tb03946.x
Subject(s) - catfish , biology , zoology , duodenum , stomach , caecum , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , biochemistry , medicine
Hydrogen ion concentrations (pH) of the digestive tracts of channel catfish were determined for fish of two sizes (892 and 134 g average weight) at two environmental temperatures (28 and 23°C). Acidic conditions (pH 2–4) were present in the stomach contents of all catfish with slightly higher pH values in stomachs of fish at 28°C. The pH increased to slightly alkaline values (pH 7–9) in the duodenum and reached a maximum level (pH 8.6) in the upper intestinal region and then decreased in the lower segments to approach neutrality in the colon. The pH of the bile ranged from 6.1 to 7.5 and was higher in fish maintained at 28°C. Higher environmental temperatures (28°C) resulted in a slightly lower pH throughout the intestinal and colon segments. The larger catfish had lower intestinal length/body weight ratios than smaller catfish. As the result of distension due to increased food consumption, catfish maintained at 28°C had shorter intestinal tracts than catfish maintained at 23°C.