Comparative study of biochemical and hematological features in reared sturgeons

Suitable physiological condition in fishes for the selection of broodfishes can be achieved through hematological studies. The present study aimed to examin the hematological indices in Juvenile Sturgeons at different stages of growth. Total albumin content in blood serum, hemoglobin concentration, the erythrocyte and leukocyte count of ۵۴ sturgeon specimens (Persian sturgeon Acipenser persicus and Great sturgeon Huso huso) were determined at the age of ۱, ۲ and ۶ years reared fish. In the Persian sturgeon specimens studied, total albumin concentration increased from ۲۶.۱ to ۵۲.۵ gL-۱, hemoglobin from ۴۲.۲ to ۶۵.۸ gL-۱, erythrocyte count from ۲۴۰ to ۴۵۲.۵ thousand cells/ μL-۱, and leukocyte count from ۱۷.۴ to ۴۶.۷ thousand cells/ μL-۱. The total leukocyte was composed of ۷۳.۲-۸۲.۷% lymphocytes, ۱۲.۳ to ۲۰% neutrophils, ۲.۲ to ۶.۵% eosinophils and ۰.۲ to ۲.۵% monocytes with the increase of age.  In the great sturgeon specimens studied, total albumin concentrations in blood increased from ۲۰ to ۴۲.۴ g L-۱, hemoglobin from ۴۶.۳ to ۷۸.۶ g L-۱, and erythrocyte count from ۴۹۵ to ۷۳۵ thousand cells μL-۱. The total leukocyte was composed of ۵۴.۵ to ۶۷.۵% lymphocytes, ۶.۱ to ۲۶.۹ % neutrophils, ۶.۶ to ۱۳.۲۵% eosinophils and ۰.۶ to ۲.۵% monocytes with the increase of age. This research revealed the evolutionary trends of hematological features in the natural growth and development of sturgeons in the South Caspian Sea, reared in artificial conditions and shows that with the increase in age, the hematological indices also increased.