Effect of starvation on liver glycogen, triglyceride cholesterol and aminotransferase enzymes in grey mullet, (Mugil cephalus) fingerling

The quality of farmed fish is becoming increasingly important within the aquaculture industry and levels of feeding and starvation are crucial factors that determine product quality. In this study the effect of starvation on glycogen, triglyceride, cholesterol and aminotransferase enzyme activities of liver in grey mullet fingerling was investigated 180 fingerling were randomly distributed into six tanks (three tanks for each of two experimental groups, fed twice a day (8 AM and 16 PM) and starved) with 30 fish in each tank. The experiment consisted of five samplings performed 0,1,2,3 and 4 weeks after the onset of the experiment Levels of total triglyceride, total cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and glycogen were analyzed using an automatic biochemistry analyzer. No significant differences in levels of total cholesterol, triglyceride, AST and ALT of liver were detected between fed and starved groups at any sampling time throughout the experiment. In contrast, liver glycogen levels were significantly lower in starved fish than in fed fish from day 7 onwards. The present results indicate that glycogen is used as the first energy resource in Mugil cephalus.