The use of salt during transportation helps fish to
maintain homeostasis by reducing the osmotic gradient
between plasma and external environment and by
increasing mucus production (Wurts, 1995) which has
been demonstrated to reduce stress responses for some
fish species like rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
(Barton and Peter, 1982) and matrinxã (Brycon cephalus)
(Carneiro and Urbinati, 2001), but has not been
tested for pirarucu transportation. Therefore this study
analyzed several parameters (blood glucose, lactate,
cortisol, haematocrit and ion fluxes) in an attempt to
evaluate the effect of salt on physiological homeostasis
of pirarucu during transportation of juveniles in plastic
bags.