Metabolic aspects of warmwater culture of the carp, Cyprinus carpio L

Peculiarities of the metabolic processes of carp cultured in warm waters are considered. The character of variations in the buffering properties of the blood, the possible causes of these variations and the mechanisms of the metabolic acidosis which develops are analysed. Data on the effect of high water temperatures on bioenergetic processes and on the intracellular distribution of macroenergetic organophosphate compounds (ATP, ADP, AMP) are adduced. It is shown that a 28–30°C increase in water temperature results in a sharp activation of lipid synthesis and, to a lesser extent, of protein synthesis in carp tissues. Heat activation of carboxylation reactions, increased dissociation of lipotropic substances as well as consumption of great amounts of carbohydrate-rich vegetable components in the foodstuff underlie these variations. Possible ways of normalizing the metabolism of fish cultured in warm waters are discussed.