Abstract:

Variations in the fatty acids compositions of muscle tissue, due to starving and feeding Cyprinion macrostomus (Heckel, 1843) at 35 and 24°C which naturally lives at 35±0.5°C in the Kan-gal Thermal Spring (Sivas) were investigated. No qualitative variation took place in the fatty acid composition of the fish which were fed and star-ved at 35°C. As far as the fish which were fed and starved at 24°C were concerned, it has determi-ned that docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6), which are not found in fo-od could be synthesized and linoleic acid (C18:2) percentage was drastically decreased. According to the results, it can be concluded that the most changes took place in the long chain high unsaturated fatty acids at 35 and 25°C (C18:2, C18:3, C20:3, C22:4, C22:5, C22:6). It is known that the repro-duction of C. macrostomus living at 35°C in the Kangal Thermal Spring is not very productive. It has been shown that under controlled temperature at 24°C, these fish could synthesize polyunsaturated fatty acids. The synthesis of these fatty acids at the latter temperature could be an indicator of higher rate of reproduction of the fish.

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