Effects of warm acclimation on serum osmolality, cortisol and hematocrit levels in the Antarctic fish, Trematomus bernacchii

Antarctic fish, such as the Trematomus bernacchii, living at -1.9 degrees C maintain a serum osmolality of around 600 mOsm kg(-1), nearly twice that of temperate fish. Upon warm acclimation, Antarctic fish significantly lower their serum osmolality. It has been suggested that this response to warm acclimation is due to stress. The purpose of this study was to determine, whether upon warm acclimation there was a change in the levels of the stress hormone cortisol and hematocrit associated with the decrease in serum osmolality. T. bernacchii were warm acclimated up to 4 weeks and serum osmolality, cortisol and hematocrit were measured. Upon warm acclimation to +1.6 and +3.8 degrees C over the course of 4 weeks, T. bernacchii significantly lowered their serum osmolality (from 547 +/- 4 mOsm kg(-1) to 494 +/- 6 and 489 +/- 4 mOsm kg(-1), respectively), yet did not alter their serum cortisol (29 +/- 6 nl ml(-1)) or hematocrit (22 +/- 1%) levels. These results suggest that warm acclimation does not induce a stress response in T. bernacchii.