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Ketone bodies in fish skin mucus as an indicator of starvation: a preliminary report
Author(s) -
Ramos Franklin,
Smith Albert C.
Publication year - 1978
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.1095-8649.1978.tb04156.x
Subject(s) - mugil , mucus , biology , starvation , mullet , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , zoology , ecology , endocrinology
The detection of starvation is a major problem in fish husbandry. Too often the discovery of starving animals is not made until pathogenic organisms are about to overcome the weakened animals. A simple test, using a commercial plastic strip with a reagent area that changes colour in the presence of starvation‐induced ketones, was applied to this problem in the mullet, Mugil cephalus. The strip identified ketones in the fish skin mucus, and demonstrated its value in detecting starvation in fishes.