Modification of walleyes Stizostedion vitreum tolerance to hydrogen peroxide bath treatment

Hydrogen peroxide is being evaluated for its potential as a therapeutic com pound for a variety of external disease organisms of fish. The value of hyd rogen peroxide as a therapeutic compound for use in walleye Stizostedion vi treum culture has been questioned due to the high sensitivity (i.e., high m ortality) of walleyes to this compound. We conducted bioassays and histopat hological studies to determine if exposure of walleye to hydrogen peroxide bath treatments would result in increased tolerance to subsequent exposure. Test fish exhibited increased tolerance to hydrogen peroxide after initial exposures. This phenomenon of increased tolerance of walleyes to hydrogen peroxide may be of value in the development of management strategies for th e successful treatment of fish diseases.