Abstract

Transporting live fish is a common technique in the aquaculture industry. This research examined how 3-hour transportation stress affects the micronucleus frequency of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The micronucleus test was used to assess micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities in peripheral erythrocytes. Fish were sampled before (control) and immediately after the 3-hour transport process (t0 group), 6 hours after the transport process (t6 group), 12 hours after the transport process (t12 group), and 24 hours after the transport process (t24). The research found that the greatest MN frequency was substantially detected in the t0 group (p<0.001). Additionally, the nuclear abnormalities (NAs) in the blood samples of t0, t6, and t12 groups are considerably greater (p<0.001) than those in the control group. An important rise in micronucleus frequency was seen following the transportation procedure, followed by a considerable drop at 12 and 24 hours post-departure, but not going back to the initial values. Micronuclei and nuclear abnormalities in peripheral erythrocytes serve as reliable markers of stressful circumstances in transported fish, as shown by the results.