Aquaculture Definition of Terms

Question 1

A water volume equivalent to one surface acre with a depth of one foot; equal to 325,850 gallons or approximately 2, 718, 000 pounds water

Answer 1

Acre-foot

Question 2

The mixing of air and water by wind action, or by air forced through water, generally refers to a process by which oxygen is added to water

Answer 2

Aeration

Question 3

The gases surrounding the earth; consists of approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon, 0.03% carbon dioxide, and minute quantities of helium, krypton, neon, and xenon, plus water vapor.

Answer 3

Air

Question 4

A high density or rapid increase in abundance of algae

Answer 4

Algae bloom

Question 5

The ability of mineral solution to neutralize hydrogen ions; usually expressed as equivalents of calcium carbonate.

Answer 5

Alkalinity

Question 6

The gas NH3 highly soluble in water. Ionized ammonia (NH4+) is relatively non-toxic to fish while the un-ionized form is extremely toxic, the percent of the ammonia in the un-ionized form is function of pH and temperature.

Answer 6

Ammonia

Question 7

Also called total ammonia. The summed weight of hydrogen in the both ionized (ammonium, NH4+) and molecular (NH3) forms dissolved ammonia (NH4 –N plus NH3 –N). Ammonia values are reported as N (the Nitrogen being ignored in analyses)

Answer 7

Ammonia Nitrogen

Question 8

The ionized form of ammonia NH4+.

Answer 8

Ammonium

Question 9

The fin of the ventral median line behind anus

Answer 9

Anal fin

Question 10

A plate, usually constructed of concrete or steel attached around a drain pipe and extending about two feet outward. It is buried in the pond levee to retard the seepage of water through the levee along the drain pipe.

Answer 10

Anti-Seep Collar

Question 11

The external posterior opening of the alimentary tract; the vent.

Answer 11

Anus

Question 12

Controlled culture and propagation of aquatic animals, crustaceans, shellfish, and plants.

Answer 12

Aquaculture

Question 13

Ponds and lakes created after excavation of fill material used in road construction

Answer 13

Barrow pits

Question 14

The HCO3- ion, or any salt form with it such as sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3)

Answer 14

Bicarbonate

Question 15

Adult fish for spawning.

Answer 15

Broodstock

Question 16

Chemical capable of taking up or giving up hydrogen ions and sustains pH within narrow range.

Answer 16

Buffer

Question 17

A production method in which barrow pits, farm ponds, or lakes are used for fish production by containing the fish in cages placed in water.

Answer 17

Cage culture

Question 18

A relative insoluble salt, CaCo3, the primary constituent of limestone and a common constituent of hard water.

Answer 18

Calcium carbonate

Question 19

A colorless, odorless gas, CO2, resulting from the oxidation of carbon- containing substances; highly soluble in water. Toxic to fish at high levels. Toxicity to fish increases at low levels of oxygen. May be used as an anesthetic.

Answer 19

Carbon dioxide

Question 20

Generally, fish that spawn in water temperature below 55° F. The main cultured species are trout and salmon.

Answer 20

Cold Water Species

Question 21

Generally, fish that spawn in temperatures between 40° and 60°F.The main cultured cool water species are muskellunge, sauger, walleye, and yellow perch.

Answer 21

Cool Water Species

Question 22

A barrier made of compacted clay that anchors the pond levee to the surrounding topography.

Answer 22

Core-trench

Question 23

A marketing measurement equal to number per pound. For example, a 20-count would be the same as 20 per pound.

Answer 23

Count

Question 24

Flow rate equal to 449 gallons per minute.

Answer 24

Cubic Foot Per Minute

Question 25

Removal of the residual hypochlorite or chloramine from water to allow its use in fish culture. Charcoal is used frequently because it removes much of the hypochlorite and fluoride. Charcoal is inadequate for removing chloramine.

Answer 25

Dechlorination

Question 26

A biochemical reaction in which nitrate (NO3-) is reduced to NO2, N2O, and nitrogen gas.

Answer 26

Denitrification

Question 27

Food regularly provided and consumed

Answer 27

Diet

Question 28

The amount of elemental oxygen, O2, in solution under existing atmospheric pressure and temperature.

Answer 28

Dissolved oxygen

Question 29

The discharge from a rearing facility, treatment plant, or industry.

Answer 29

Effluent

Question 30

The removal of the internal organs during processing

Answer 30

Evisceration

Question 31

The mature female germ cell, ovum.

Answer 31

Egg

Question 32

An ester composed of fatty acid(s) and glycerol.

Answer 32

Fat

Question 33

The stage in a fish’s life between 1 inch and the length at which it is restocked for grow-out to market size.

Answer 33

Fingerling

Question 34

The volume of water moving past a given point in a unit of time, usually expressed as cubic feet per second (cfs) or gallons per minute (gpm).

Answer 34

Flow Rate

Question 35

A ratio of food intake to body weight gain; more generally, the total weight of all feed fed to a lot of fish divided by the total weight gain of the fish lot. The units of weight and the time interval over which they are measured must be the same. The better the conversion, the lower the ratio.

Answer 35

Food Conversion

Question 36

A combination of ingredients that provides specific amounts of nutrients per weight of feed.

Answer 36

Formulated Feed

Question 37

The distance between the crown of a pond levee and the surface of the water inside the pond. Usually one to three feet of freeboard is recommended.

Answer 37

Free Board

Question 38

Water containing less than 0.05% total dissolved salts by weight

Answer 38

Fresh Water

Question 39

The stage in a fish’s life from the time it hatches until it reaches 1 inch in length

Answer 39

Fry

Question 40

A mandatory Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seafood inspection program by fish processors, wholesalers, and retailers.

Answer 40

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP)

Question 41

Progeny resulting from a cross between parents that are genetically unlike

Answer 41

Hybrid

Question 42

The cause of acidity in water.

Answer 42

Hydrogen Ion Concentration

Question 43

An odorous, soluble gas, H2S, resulting from anaerobic decomposition of sulfur containing compounds, especially proteins.

Answer 43

Hydrogen Sulfide

Question 44

Period from fertilization of the egg until it hatches.

Answer 44

Incubation (Eggs)

Question 45

Rearing of fish at densities greater than can be supported in the natural environment; utilizes high water flow or exchange rates, aeration, and requires the feeding of formulated feeds.

Answer 45

Intensive culture

Question 46

Fish less than one year old. Also refers to fingerling

Answer 46

Juvenile

Question 47

A constructed basin near the drain of a pond used for concentrating fish during harvest. Also referred to as catch basin.

Answer 47

Kettle

Question 48

Calcium Oxide, Quicklime, or Burnt Lime used as disinfectant for fish-holding facilities (produces heat and extreme alkaline conditions). Agriculture lime is used to increase the alkalinity of water in pond settings. Sodium bicarbonate is used to increase the alkalinity in water recirculating systems.

Answer 48

Lime

Question 49

A form of oxygen cooled to a liquid state and used commonly in recirculating aquaculture systems because it is cheaper per unit than gaseous oxygen.

Answer 49

Liquid Oxygen

Question 50

A type of incubator usually made from clear plastic designed to hold fertilized eggs during the hatching process.

Answer 50

Mcdonald Jar

Question 51

Processes involved in the release of body energy, the building and repair of body tissue, and the excretion of waste materials; combination of anabolism and catabolism. As a rule, the metabolic rate of fish doubles for every 18°F increase.

Answer 51

Metabolism

Question 52

A species of fish in which either the female or male incubates the fertilized eggs in the mouth. Most species of tilapia grown in the United States are maternal mouth brooders.

Answer 52

Mouth Brooder

Question 53

A method (normally biological) through which ammonia is biologically oxidized to nitrite and then nitrate.

Answer 53

Nitrification

Question 54

The NO2- ion.

Answer 54

Nitrite

Question 55

An odorless gaseous element that makes up 78% of the earth’s atmosphere, and is a constituent of all living tissue. It is almost inert in its gaseous form.

Answer 55

Nitrogen

Question 56

Simple nitrogen compounds produced by the metabolism of proteins, such as urea and uric acid.

Answer 56

Nitrogen Wastes

Question 57

Species of bacteria involved in nitrification. Nitrosommonas sp oxidizes NH3 to NO2- and Nitrobacter sp oxides NO2- to NO3-.

Answer 57

Nitrifying Bacteria

Question 58

The bony covering that protects the gills

Answer 58

Operculum

Question 59

The diffusion of liquid that takes place through a semipermeable membrane between solutions starting at different osmotic pressures, and that tends to equalize those pressures.

Answer 59

Osmosis

Question 60

The formation of carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water that takes place in the chlorophyll-containing tissues of plants exposed to light; oxygen is produced as a by-product.

Answer 60

Photosynthesis

Question 61

Microscopic plants suspended in water with little or no capability for controlling their position in the water mass; frequently referred to as algae.

Answer 61

Phytoplankton

Question 62

The ability of fish to take on approximately the same body temperature as the ambient temperature of their environment. Also referred to as cold-blooded.

Answer 62

Pokiothermic

Question 63

A closed production system in which excavated soil is used to build levees and provide a gradual bottom slope

Answer 63

Pond

Question 64

The wall of a pond which is constructed to hold in the water.

Answer 64

Pond Levee

Question 65

A fish species that eat other fish.

Answer 65

Predacious/ Carnivorous Fish

Question 66

A procedure used to increase evidence of safety and quality of farm-raised food fish species

Answer 66

Quality Assurance

Question 67

A production system in which water flows through a series of troughs or tanks at relatively high flow rate. Smaller fish are usually stocked at the beginning of the raceway and larger fish stocked toward the end.

Answer 67

Raceway

Question 68

The use of water more than one time for fish propagation. There may or may not be water treatment between uses and different rearing units may be involved.

Answer 68

Recirculating, Reuse, Recycle Aquaculture Systems

Question 69

The utilization of oxygen in the breakdown of carbohydrates and releases carbon dioxide and water as by-products

Answer 69

Respiration

Question 70

Concentration of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, bicarbonate, carbonate, sulfate, and halides (Chloride, fluoride, bromide) in water.

Answer 70

Salinity

Question 71

In solutions, the maximum amount of a substance that can be dissolved in a liquid without being precipitated or released into the air

Answer 71

Saturation

Question 72

Water containing from 3.0 to 3.5% total salts

Answer 72

Sea Water

Question 73

Settleable solids that form bottom deposits

Answer 73

Sediments

Question 74

Nets used to harvest fish from ponds. They are usually 25% longer than the width of the pond and have a depth 25% deeper than the maximum depth of the pond.

Answer 74

Seines

Question 75

That fraction of the suspended solids that will settle out of suspension under quiescent conditions.

Answer 75

Settleable solids

Question 76

Soil particles carried or deposited by moving water

Answer 76

Silt

Question 77

The change of height (rise) or a given distance (run).

Answer 77

Slope

Question 78

A chemical; compound (NaHCO3) used as buffer in recirculating aquaculture systems

Answer 78

Sodium Bicarbonate

Question 79

Species of animals which spawn on substrate such as gravel, rock, perlon mats or other material

Answer 79

Substrate Spawners

Question 80

Non-settleable articles retained in suspension in the water column.

Answer 80

Suspended Solids

Question 81

Used to remove chlorine from solution or as titrant for determination and dissolved oxygen by Winkler method.

Answer 81

Thiosulfate, Sodium (Sodium Hyposulfite, Hypo, Antichlor) Na2S2O3

Question 82

All of the solids in the water, including dissolved, suspended, and settleable components

Answer 82

Total solids

Question 83

A relative measure of the ability of a chemical to be toxic. Usually refers to the ability of a substance to kill or cause an adverse effect. High toxicity means that small amounts are capable of causing death or ill health.

Answer 83

Toxicity

Question 84

A particular class of poisons, to which the body may respond by the production of antitoxins.

Answer 84

Toxin

Question 85

Presence of suspended or colloidal matter or planktonic organisms that reduces light penetration of water

Answer 85

Turbidity

Question 86

A light source with a wave length less than 4000 angstroms used for disinfecting hatchery water

Answer 86

Ultraviolet light

Question 87

A nitrogenous waste product of mammals containing two nitrogen ions

Answer 87

Urea

Question 88

A nitrogenous waste product of birds containing four nitrogen ions

Answer 88

Uric Acid

Question 89

Essential nutritive factors required in small amounts for the regulation of metablosim

Answer 89

Vitamins

Question 90

Species of animals such as angelfish that normally spawn on rooted aquatic plant leaves in their natural habitat. In commercial aquaculture strips of slate are substituted for plants.

Answer 90

Vertical Substrate Spawners

Question 91

Generally, fish that spawn at temperatures above 60°F

Answer 91

Warm Water Species

Question 92

As it relates to fish nutrition and general fish health, involves dissolved minerals, gases, suspended, and settleable solids found in fresh water.

Answer 92

Water Quality

Question 93

A calorimetric tiltration method of determining the dissolved oxygen concentration in water

Answer 93

Winkler

Question 94

A class of naturally occurring yellow and orange plant pigments added to fish feeds to enhance the color of the skin pigments or muscle. In white flesh fish, xanthophylls impart undesirable yellow color.

Answer 94

Xanthophylls

Question 95

A component of fish feed, especially for larvae feeding used for its high protein content

Answer 95

Yeast

Question 96

Minute animals in water, chiefly rotifers and crustaceans, that depend upon water movement to carry them about, having only weak capabilities for movement. They are important prey for young fish.

Answer 96

Zooplankton

Question 97

Fertilized egg.

Answer 97

Zygote