Thermal Tempering Does Not Impact Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout Survival

Hatchery-reared fish are frequently adjusted (tempered) to the higher water temperatures present in the water bodies where they are to be stocked. This study was undertaken to determine the necessity of such tempering practices. This study used rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout (Salmo trutta) reared at 11.2°C. The first two trials for each species were designed to simultaneously determine the upper incipient lethal temperature and 100% lethal temperature over a 14-day period. The third trial for each species evaluated the effects of an exaggerated 12-hour tempering regime on fish survival after placement in elevated water temperatures. After transfer from a water temperature of 11.2°C, no rainbow trout survived at 26°C, and only 50% survived at 25°C. No brown trout survived at 22°C and only 50% at 20°C. Survival of rainbow trout was not improved by the 12-hour tempering regime where water temperatures were slowly increased from 11.2°C to either 25°C or 26°C. Similarly, tempering did not improve brown trout survival at either 20°C or 22°C. These results suggest that tempering is not needed when hatchery-reared trout are reared and stocked at the water temperatures within the range of those used in this study.