The status of farmed fish hearts: an alert to improve health and production in three Mediterranean species

The heart ventricles of farmed gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) and Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) have been examined and we compared them to the corresponding fish from wild populations. These results can help to understand the differences in farmed fish hearts and in the myocardial structure that this condition of growth can produce. Several parameters were measured in the two groups. Numerical comparisons included heart mass, cardiac and ventricular index, ventricle height: width ratio, width and alignment of bulbus arteriosus, ventricular angles and compacta thickness. We confirm that the normal shape of wild fish hearts can be modified as a result from the adaptation to different environments. These changes can modify the structure of myocardium and compromise the cardiac function in farmed species. The ventricle of farmed fish present differences in shape, were misaligned, rounder, with a wider bulbus and thinner compact layer. Further studies are necessary to reveal functional significance and possible causes of these abnormal hearts and improve the cardiac welfare of Mediterranean species in culture as a way of ensuring a level of production compatible with economic benefits.