EFFECTS OF SHELTERS ON GROWTH, PERSONALITY, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL-BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSES IN SPINIBARBUS SINENSIS

To investigate the impacts of shelters on growth, personality, and physiological responses in Spinibarbus sinensis, preferred shelters (weeds, branches, and shaded areas) identified through preliminary experiments were utilized. Fish were divided into a shelter group and a none shelter group for 60-day growth experiment. Subsequent measurements of fish body weight and length were conducted. We randomly selected 5 fishes to measure for plasma cortisol and antioxidant indices (total antioxidant capacity, T-AOC; superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT) in the hepatopancreas and brain. The remaining fish measured personality traits (exploration, activity, boldness and sociability) and anxiety-like behavior. The results indicated: (1) The shelter group exhibited significantly higher growth rates compared to the none shelter group (35% increase in final weight, 18% increase in specific growth rate, and 45% enhancement in weight gain rate). (2) Boldness was significantly greater in the shelter group (P<0.05; 30.4% reduction in first entry time), while no significant differences were observed in exploration, activity, and sociability. (3) Shelter had no significant influence anxiety-like behavior, but cortisol levels were substantially lower in the shelter group (P<0.001). (4) Hepatopancreatic SOD and T-AOC were significantly reduced in the shelter group (P<0.05), whereas brain SOD activity displayed an opposite trend (P<0.05). The results suggest that the shelter minimally affects personality and anxiety-like behavior of S. sinensis. Placing shelters into aquaculture environments promotes fish growth, reduces stress levels, and modulates antioxidant capacity. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing welfare-oriented practices in sustainable aquaculture systems.