Evaluation of the impact of music on antioxidant mechanisms and survival in salt-stressed goldfish

Abstract Freshwater fish demonstrate decreased survival in high-salinity environments, and effective strategies to improve it are lacking. We exposed goldfish ( Carassius auratus ) to saline conditions (0.36% NaCl), along with gentle music for 30 min daily. We then evaluated their survival rate and analyzed their liver antioxidant responses and gene expression. Salt stress exposure for 4 weeks significantly reduced the goldfish’s survival rate, body weight, and food intake. It also worsened oxidative damage to lipids and proteins and increased hydrogen peroxide accumulation. Moreover, it reduced the glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione ratio, GSH and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid contents, and superoxide dismutase and catalase activities but increased glutathione peroxidase activity. Finally, it altered the gene expression of the aforementioned antioxidant enzymes. Nevertheless, music exposure effectively mitigated these detrimental effects of salt stress. Moreover, under standard environmental conditions, music significantly improved the survival rate and weight gain in goldfish. Thus, exposure to music may enhance the overall health status of goldfish in high-salinity environments, potentially via the activation of their antioxidant defense mechanisms. The current study provides a novel nonchemical approach to enhance fish welfare in aquaculture under salinity stress.