Chapter 12, Problem 85SE

Normal hatchery processes in aquaculture inevitably produce stress in fish, which may negatively impact growth, reproduction, flesh quality, and susceptibility to disease. Such stress manifests itself in elevated and sustained corticosteroid levels. The article “Evaluation of Simple Instruments for the Measurement of Blood Glucose and Lactate, and Plasma Protein as Stress Indicators in Fish” (J. of the World Aquaculture Society, 1999: 276–284) described an experiment in which fish were subjected to a stress protocol and then removed and tested at various times after the protocol had been applied. The accompanying data on x = time (min) and y = blood glucose level (mmol/L) was read from a plot.

x	2	2	5	7	12	13	17	18	23	24	26	28
y	4.0	3.6	3.7	4.0	3.8	4.0	5.1	3.9	4.4	4.3	4.3	4.4

x	29	30	34	36	40	41	44	56	56	57	60	60
y	5.8	4.3	5.5	5.6	5.1	5.7	6.1	5.1	5.9	6.8	4.9	5.7

Use the methods developed in this chapter to analyze the data, and write a brief report summarizing your conclusions (assume that the investigators are particularly interested in glucose level 30 min after stress).