DECREASED CONCENTRATION OF HEMOGLOBIN, ACCUMULATION OF LIPID OXIDATION-PRODUCTS AND UNCHANGED SKELETAL-MUSCLE IN ATLANTIC SALMON (SALMO-SALAR) FED LOW DIETARY VITAMIN-E

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) fry, initial weight 0.16 g, were fed a s emipurified diet with 0, 15, 30, 60 or 120 mg dl-alpha-tocopheryl acet ate/kg. After 24 weeks, the first two of these groups were extinct, an d the fish receiving 30 mg/kg were clearly vitamin E deficient. Vitami n E deficient fish had low hemoglobin levels, characterized by a combi nation of reduced cellular hemoglobin concentration, red cell volume a nd red cell number, and an increased number and fraction of immature r ed blood cells. The hemoglobin concentration decreased over the decrea sing range of experimental dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate levels. Therefo re, even if 60 mg dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate/kg gave good survival, t his level was clearly physiologically suboptimal. Ceroid accumulated i n the liver of fish fed 30 mg vitamin E/kg, and autofluorescent inclus ions were found in the red blood cells of fish fed 30 and 60 mg vitami n E/kg. Degeneration of skeletal muscle was not observed in the presen t study.