Plasma concentrations of steroid hormones in male yellow perch, Perca flavescens: the effect of age and photothermal manipulation

Plasma steroid concentrations in two and three year-old male yellow perch maintained under two different photothermal regimes were investigated. Initially, all fish kept indoors were exposed to the same water temperature (22 °C) and photoperiod (15L:9D). By the end of August, following the first sampling, fish were exposed to different photothermal regimes. Groups A2 (2 year old) and A3 (3 year old) were maintained under photothermal conditions similar to those of southern Ohio. Groups B2 (2 year old) and B3 (3 year old) were exposed to a condensed light/temperature regime designed to accelerate maturation. Testosterone (T) was the major circulating androgen in all groups. In regime A fish, plasma concentrations of 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) and T were very low in August, increased in October and remained elevated until March. In regime B plasma androgens were high until February and then dropped abruptly in March. The elevated circulating levels of 11KT and T were associated with production of sperm. The highest sperm concentration in the groups A3 and B3 was observed in February and December, respectively. There were no major differences in profiles and levels of plasma steroids between two age categories within each photothermal regime. These data indicate that the compression of the photothermal cycle accelerated both the occurrence of the low postspawning levels of circulating steroids and the completion of milt production. Higher sperm concentration observed in B3 group earlier in the season compared to A3 group also support the notion that the condensed photothermal cycle accelerated gonadal maturation. It appears that modification of the environmental cues may be a useful tool for manipulation of reproductive processes in male yellow perch.