Productive and physiological behavior of the palometa Mylossoma duriventre farmed in a floating cage system

The palometa, Mylossoma duriventre, is a species widely distributed in South America in the Amazon, Orinoco, and Paraguay-Paraná basins, with commercial and aquaculture potential. However, its hematology in culture systems has not been described. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the hematological parameters of the palometa farmed in a floating cage system to constitute a tool for assessing the physiological state, health, and presence of productive alterations that affect the species in a production system facing different storage densities and protein levels in the feed. The experimental design was based on three population density factors (50, 100, and 150 fish m3) and three percentages of crude protein (25, 30, and 34%), thus constituting nine treatments (n=3). The fish were housed in 1m3 floating cages, with an experimental period of 210 days. Productive, hematological, and parasitological parameters were evaluated. Standard deviation was performed, analyzed using Tukey's test and a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. Ultimately, the treatment with 25% crude protein demonstrated greater final weight. For their part, the numbers of red blood cells, thrombocytes, and leukocytes were within the ranges shown in the literature, while hemoglobin and hematocrit were increased. This is the first report of productive and hematological responses to M. duriventre in captivity.