Spatial-environmental context of carbon dioxide induced stress in Malaysian Mahseer (Tor tambroides) cultured in inland aquaculture systems
Abstract
Elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations in freshwater aquaculture systems represent an emerging environmental stressor, particularly in inland and highland settings where watershed confinement and limited gas exchange can influence water chemistry. This study examined the physiological stress responses of Malaysian mahseer (Tor tambroides), an indigenous and economically important freshwater species, under controlled CO₂ exposure. Juvenile fish were exposed to three CO₂ concentrations: control (400 ppm), moderate (600 ppm), and high (800 ppm) for 30 days in a flow-through experimental system conducted at a single inland aquaculture facility in Hulu Terengganu, Malaysia. Plasma cortisol and glucose levels were quantified as biomarkers of physiological stress. Fish exposed to moderate and high CO₂ concentrations exhibited significantly elevated cortisol and glucose levels compared with the control group (p < 0.05), indicating heightened physiological stress under chronic CO₂ enrichment. The findings are interpreted within the spatial–environmental context of inland highland aquaculture systems characterized by hydrological confinement and site-specific water exchange conditions. These results provide empirical evidence that local environmental setting can mediate physiological responses to CO₂ exposure, with implications for water quality management in inland freshwater aquaculture.
Keywords: Aquaculture, carbon dioxide, inland freshwater, spatial environmental context, stress response
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