SPACE EXPERIMENT USING LARGE-SIZED FISH - IN CASE OF CARP IN SPACELAB-J MISSION

Two carp of 26 cm in size, intact and otolith-removed (LB), were flown on the Spacelab-J for 8 days in September 12-20, 1992. Light-dependen t reaction to alternating direction of illumination was recorded for 1 0 min twice a day together with the cerebellar EEG activity, on 2 days before the launch, during the flight and for 4 days after the landing , in the same fish chamber. Reproducing the video image, it was reveal ed that both carp were healthy during the mission, but the LB fish was almost immobilized from the 3rd test session (48 hours in flight) by tight twisting of the EEG cable. Both fish after landing tended to sta y still on the bottom of the fish chamber. Findings that the body weig ht reduced remarkably in both fish and that nitrile and nitrate levels of the fish water were unusually high, suggested that the fish metabo lism might have been enhanced during the flight.