EFEITO DA DENSIDADE SOBRE OS NIVEIS DE CORTISOL E SOBREVIVÊNCIA NO TRANSPORTE DE JUVENIS DE PIRARUCU (ARAPAIMA GIGAS) EM SACOS PLÁSTICOS

The production of pirarucu has been increasing year by year, therefore, there is no specific management for the transport of the species. Thus, the objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of storage density on cortisol survival levels in the transport of pirarucu juveniles for six hours. Five storage densities (50, 80, 110, 140 and 170 g / L) were evaluated over a 6-hour transport period. The accumulated mortality and cortisol levels were evaluated in the period immediately after transportation, 24 and up to 96 hours after transportation. There was no mortality at any of the densities assessed after transport nor at the recovery time of up to 96 hours. The density of 170 g / L was responsible for providing the highest levels of cortisol in fish after transportation. In this study it was verified that pirarucu, after a stressor, can maintain high levels of cortisol, returning to the initial levels 24 hours after the transport.