Effects of Different Salinity Acclimation on Tilapia Muscle Quality, Serum Biochemical Profiles and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase Activity

PurposeTo study the effects of salinity acclimation on healthy tilapia farming.

MethodsTilapia with a body weight of (178.35±46.44) g were used as the research object, which domesticated in 0 (S₀), 12 (S₁₂) and 24 (S₂₄) salinity for 0 and 12 days, respectively. The effects of salinity on muscle quality, serum biochemical indexes and Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity were analyzed.

ResultsAfter 0 day salinity acclimation, tilapia serum triiodothyronine (T₃) level in S₁₂ and S₂₄ groups were significantly higher than that in the S₀ group (P<0.05); on 12 days salinity acclimation, the levels of serum free triiodothyronine (FT₃), T₃ and cortisol in S₂₄ group were significantly higher than those in the S₀ group (P<0.05). Salinity acclimation increased the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity in gill filaments significantly (P<0.05), but there was no significant change in the concentration of serum ion (Na⁺, K⁺ and Cl⁻) (P>0.05). In addition, salinity had no significant effect on the Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity of the kidney and intestine and the serum glucose level (P<0.05). On salinity acclimation 0 day, only some of the texture profiles (viscosity, adhesiveness, chewiness, and resilience) in the S₂₄ group were significantly higher than those in the S₀ group (P<0.05); on salinity acclimation 12 days, the muscle hardness, adhesiveness and chewiness were significantly higher than those in the S₀ group (P<0.05), the muscle moisture was significantly lower than S₀ group (P<0.05), but the sensory indexes had no significant influence by acclimation salinity concentration and time.

ConclusionAfter acclimation with different salinity, the activity of Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase in gill filaments of tilapia increases in order to maintain osmotic pressure balance in the body, and the muscle quality of tilapia also changes in different degrees. This study provides the data support for the salinity acclimation of tilapia.