United States Patent (19) 11 Patent Number: 5,048,458

Ebner et al. 45 Date of Patent: Sep. 17, 1991

54 METHOD OF BREEDING FISH 2001 12 12/1982 United Kingdom .
(75) Inventors: Guido Ebner, Eiken; Heinz Schirch, OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Riehen, both of Switzerland Chem. Abstract, 95: 165987(1981).
(73) Assignee: Ciba-Geigy Corporation, Ardsley, Goodman et al., Bioelectromagnetics, 7, 23-29 (1986).
N.Y.
Primary Examiner-Robert P. Swiatek
21) Appl. No.: 369,483 Attorney, Agent, or Firm--George R. Dohmann;
Edward McC. Roberts
22 Filed: Jun. 19, 1989
57 ABSTRACT
51 Int. Cl.............................................. A01K 63/00
(52) U.S. C. ........................................................ 19/3 There is disclosd a novel method which, based on the
(58) Field of Search ............................................ 119/3 brief application of electrostatic fields, induces to last
(56) References Cited ing useful and desirable properties in fish, which prop
erties cannot otherwise be induced at all or can only be
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS induced by dint of substantial additional investment in
4,297,352 3/1981 Habegger ................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119/5 time and material resources. The simplicity of the mea
4,594,965 6/1986 Asher et al. ............................ 119/3 sures proposed in this invention and the significant re
sults obtained will revolutionize the breeding of fish,
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS especially edible fish, but also ornamental fish.
029938 7/1983 U.S.S.R. .................................. 119/3
1178372 9/1985 U.S.S.R. .................................. 19/3 17 Claims, 1 Drawing Sheet

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U.S. Patent Sep. 17, 1991 5,048,458

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0.06-0.10 V/cm. These experiments dealt principally
METHOD OF BREEDING FISH with the influence of the voltage applied on brain devel
opment and the excretion of noradrenalin, depending
The present invention relates to a novel method additionally on the season.
which, based on the brief application of electrostatic 5 The reason why there has been so little investigation
fields, induces lasting useful and desirable properties in into the effects of electrostatic fields may primarily be
fish, which properties cannot otherwise be induced at that, in the light of conventional teaching, it has been
all or can only be induced by dint of substantial addi assumed that an electrostatic field in a medium filled
tional investment in time and material resources. The with charge carriers is shielded by the spontaneous
simplicity of the method of this invention and the signif. 10 formation of an electric double layer and consequently
icant results obtained make it possible to improve very remains inert in its effect.
substantially the breeding of freshwater and saltwater This teaching is based essentially on the equation
fish, especially of edible fish and also of ornamental fish. formulated by C. Gouy and D. L. Chapman, according
The method of the present invention essentially com to which the actual thickness of a diffuse double layer
prises exposing early development stages of fish, such as 15 for an electrolyte is
juvenile fish or preferably eggs, before, during or after
fertilisation, especially eggs in early phases of cell divi
sion, for a short time to electrostatic fields, without the d= . OOO RT
flow of electric currents. It is particularly preferred to F 4T X cz
use eggs during or immediately after fertilisation. 20
Specifically, in the practice of this invention, tanks wherein
(aquaria) filled with freshwater or saltwater and con d = the thickness of the double layer
taining the fish or eggs, and consisting preferably of F = the Faraday constant
electrically non-conductive material (insulator), are e = the dielectric constant
placed between the electrodes of a capacitor. A direct 25 R = the universal gas constant
current voltage of one to tens of thousands of volts is T = the absolute temperature, and
then applied to said electrodes. Instead of using the i= the nature of the ions of concentrations ci and
non-conductive aquarium material, it is of course also valences Zi.
possible to use electrodes which are provided with an Surprisingly, this prejudice has now been overcome
insulating layer and to immerse these electrically insu 30 with respect to fish in the practice of this invention by
lated capacitor plates direct in the tanks. Of sole impor the application of simple measures.
tance is that the electrodes of the capacitor are insulated In contradistinction to the conventional teaching
against the freshwater or saltwater acting as dielectric elaborated above, the aim has now for the first time
medium. As no currents flow in this apparatus, no per been successfully achieved, within the scope of this
ceptible loss of energy is observed. Hence energy is not 35
invention, of providing a method by which it is possible
a cost factor in this invention.
A further essential feature of this invention is that, to induce in fish lasting desirable and useful changes,
because no electric current flows, the chemical identity which method is based on a modification of physico
of the system "fish" does not undergo change. chemical interactions induced by the effect of an elec
Interest in the investigation of parameters which trostatic field.
exert a direct or indirect activity on physico-chemical As previously stated, this aim can be achieved most
interactions in living organisms has so far centered al simply by exposing juvenile fish or fertilised fish eggs to
most exclusively on the influence of temperature, pres an electrostatic field, such that the physico-chemical
sure, electromagnetic radiation and electrodynamic interactions which take place during cell division and
fields (alternating fields). In contrast, far less attention 45 differentiation, and which it is desired to modify with
has been paid, for example, to the investigation into the aid of the method of this invention, take place under
possible interactions of electrostatic fields on the devel the influence of a defined electrostatic field under con
opment of higher organisms, especially fish. trolled conditions.
Only recently have reports become more frequent on Accordingly, the present invention relates to a
the possible effects of gravitation and magnetic fields on 50 method of inducing desirable and useful properties in
biological systems. Thus, for example, Goodman and fish, which comprises a) exposing early development
Henderson Bioelectromagnetics, 7: 23-29, 1986) have stages of fish to an electrostatic field, such that the
found indications that a correlation exists between elec physico-chemical reactions which it is desired to mod
tromagnetic fields and the rate of transcription in bio ify take place under the influence of a defined electro
logical material, the rate being influenced favourably by 55 static field under controlled conditions, but without
the applied electromagnetic field so that enhanced tran thereby changing the chemical identity of the system
scription results. itself, and
In contrast, it would appear that the possibility that b) keeping said early development stages of fish in
electrostatic fields might also have an influence on the said electrostatic field for a period of time necessary for
course of physico-chemical interactions in organisms, 60 a stable development of the desired modification.
especially also in early development phases, has so far Throughout this specification, the expression "early
been ruled out from the start. Hence there have to date development stages of fish' shall be understood as
been no reports on the possible effect of electrostatic meaning all stages starting from the egg (egg cell), pref.
fields on the development of fish. erably the fertilised egg, through the different embry
Experiments have, however, been described (C.A. 65 onic stages right up to the hatchable or hatched juvenile
95: 165987b; Vosyliene et al.), in which trout (Salmo fish. These are the stages of frequent cell division and
iridens) and carp (Cyprinus carpio) were exposed over differentiation in which the electrostatic fields produce
long periods to field strengths of 0.03-0.08 V/cm and favourable and lasting results.
 5,048,458
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Especially preferred in this connection are fish eggs the application of the method of this invention, which
which are actually fertilised in the static field or which fish have an enhanced development of growth effi
are exposed to the influence of an electrostatic field ciency, and the progeny thereof, provided these latter
only after fertilisation-most preferably directly after. still have a novel and characteristic property of at least
A favourable, and therefore within the scope of this one of the parents in which change has been induced by
invention preferred, period of time during which these the method of this invention.
early development stages remain in the electrostatic Within the scope of this invention, an enhanced de
field, is the time until the eggs ripen, especially until velopment and growth will be understood as meaning,
they hatch. This period of time will normally depend on for example, an increase in the hatching rate and an
external conditions, for example water temperature, the O enhancement of the growth rate.
oxygen concentration and the like, but most especially A further object of the present invention is the provi
on the species of fish. sion of a method which modifies the specific stress
Afterwards, the juvenile fish are transferred to larger reactions of fish in desirable and useful manner, espe
tanks, as is usual in fish breeding, where they mature to cially such that the treated fish are more robust and
a desired growth stage. 15 reach adulthood faster.
The really surprising feature is that these juvenile fish Thus, for example, it is possible to reduce very sub
which have been pretreated in the described manner stantially the susceptibility of fish to diseases by the
and transferred to normal breeding tanks differ signifi application of the method of this invention, and so to
cantly from untreated control groups. breed the fish under conditions which would normally
Firstly, a substantially higher hatching rate of the be critical to their health and which would not permit a
treated fish egges is observed, with frequently an in normal and controlled development.
crease of 100 to 300% and even higher values being Hence the present invention also relates to fish whose
achieved. Secondly, these juvenile fish make a far more specific reactions to specific stress parameters are modi
agile and more vital impression than the untreated com fied in a desirable and useful manner by the application
parison fish. Very significant is their markedly higher 25
of the method of this invention, especially those fish
survival rate which extends not only to their first few which exhibit increased resistance to pathogens.
days, but virtually to their entire life cycle. This feature More particularly, it is an object of the present inven
becomes all the more marked if all medication is dis
pensed with. For it is then observed that, in the first few tion to provide a method of vitalising fish, which com
days and weeks, the untreated control group (not ex prises
posed to an electrostatic field) is at least twice as heavily a) exposing fertilised fish eggs to an electrostatic field,
reduced by the non-artifically inhibited and naturally without flow of current, or fertilising eggs in said field,
occurring population of pathogens as the fish that have b) adjusting the field strength to values in the range
been exposed to treatment with an electric field. In from 1 V/cm to 105 V/cm, and
addition, the treated fish, while receiving identical feed 35 c) maintaining the electrostatic field until the juvenile
ing, grow in weight and size far faster and reach adult fish hatch or mature.
hood significantly earlier, and hence can be transferred The fertilisation step can, of course, also be carried
to natural waters or are available for marketing as edible out in apparatus of this invention (aquarium with elec
or ornamental fish. Further, no deleterious changes in trodes) with the voltage already applied.
the progeny of these treated fish are observed. On the In the practice of this invention, the electrostatic field
contrary, a certain element of the vitality seems to be is preferably produced between the electrically insu
transferable to the progeny. lated plates of a capacitor.
All in all, the fish treated by the method of this inven The field strength of the electrostatic field is deter
tion are substantially more vital than the untreated com mined by the following equation:
parison fish and reach adulthood earlier. For the fish 45
breeder this means a reduction in the consumption of
medicaments and antibacterial agents, even to the ex
tent of dispensing with such substances completely, a where U is the potential difference between the capaci
perceptibly more efficient utilisation of the fish feed tor plates, and d is the distance between the plates.
employed, and a shortened rearing phase. These are The potential difference U is produced by a high-ten
advantages which no other expedient at present known sion generator. Any kind of high-tension generator may
is able to afford. be used in the method of this invention. Preferred high
The mechanism on which the method of this inven tension generators are those based on the transformer
tion is based is at present not known and will require principle with rectifier.
elucidation in the future. 55 The preferred potential difference within the scope of
On the whole, the application of the method of this this invention is from 1.0 V (volt) to 105 (V) volt.
invention results surprisingly, for example, in a favoura For the application of the method of this invention to
ble change in the development and growth efficiency, fish eggs, potential differences of 1 V to 20 000 V, pref
in the morphogenesis, possibly in the gene expression erably of 100 V to 10 000 V, are used. Most preferred is
patterns, in proneness to stress, resistance to pathogens, 60 a potential difference of 500 V to 3 000 V.
and many other characteristics. The distance between the plates of the capacitor
A primary object of this invention is accordingly the depends on the dimensions of the aquarium, and is, for
provision of a method of enhancing the efficiency of the example, from 0.01 mm to 1 mm, but is preferably from
development and breeding of freshwater and saltwater 1 cm to 10 cm.
fish. Especially preferred is a method of enhancing the In practice, the field strength of the electrostatic field
efficiency of the development and growth of edible fish. at the given distance between the plates of the capacitor
Also falling within the scope of this invention are the is regulated by the strength of the voltage produced by
fish themselves in which change has been induced by a high-tension generator.
 5,048,458 6
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In the practice of this invention, the field strengths Particularly preferred fields of use relate to the en
are preferably from 1 V/cm to 10 000 V/cm, more hancement of resistance to stress, for example to spe
preferably from 50 V/cm to 5 000 V/cm but, most cific environmental factors such as increased salt con
preferably, from 500 V/cm to 1 000 V/cm. centrations in the culture medium, limitation of specific
For the application of the method of this invention, it nutrients, limitation of light and/or oxygen, acceptance
is most preferred to use biological material which has a of pollution and the like.
high rate of division and/or still exhibits little differenti One of the most frequent stress factors in the living
ation, for example cells capable of division. Specifically, environment is deficiency stress, where one or more
suitable biological material in the context of this inven factors can simultaneously have a limiting effect.
tion comprises fertilised of unfertilised eggs as well as 10 Deficiency stress occurs as soon as one or more of the
early embryonic stages right up to hatchable juvenile factors essential for optimum growth or development,
fish. for example light, supply of oxygen/carbon dioxide,
The rate of fertilisation and hatching of fish eggs can supply of nutrients, vitamins and the like, attain subopti
be significantly enhanced under the influence of an mum values. The consequence is that the affected or
electrostatic field. 15 ganism is no longer able to maintain to the full its ability
All these foregoing particulars cited by way of exem to generate the syntheses essential for optimum devel
plification are solely intended to illustrate the invention opment and growth, resulting initially in a retardation
and in no way restrict the subject matter thereof. of growth. If this deficiency stress continues for a pro
Most particularly, it is an object of the present inven longed period of time, it results in an impairment of
tion to provide a method wherein the development of essential functions, leading then as a rule to early onset
the fertilised eggs to juvenile fish takes place in an elec of senescence and hence ultimately to the death of the .
trostatic field in which the field strengths may vary affected organism.
preferably from 10 V/cm to 3 000 V/cm. Field Not only a deficiency, but also a superfluity, of spe
strengths of 500 V/cm to 1500V/cm, more particularly cific crucial factors is able to trigger stress reactions.
of 500 V/cm to 1 000 V/cm, are especially preferred. 25 Increased salt concentrations in the nutrient medium
First and foremost, the invention provides a method leads, for example, to a rise in the osmotic value in the
of enhancing the growth and development efficiency of medium and, consequently, to a loss of fluid in the cells
fish, which method comprises enhancing the fertilisa present therein, owing to the onset of osmosis and hence
tion, hatching and survival rate as well as the growth of to cell shrinkage. The loss of fluid can usually be con
fish by pensated for to a certain extent by self-regulatory steps
a) treating fish eggs with male sperm, taken by the affected organisms. But if a critical thresh
b) placing the treated eggs in incubators in which an old is exceeded, then this will result in the death of the
electrostatic field is produced, cells.
c) providing field strengths for the electrostatic field The method of this invention can, in principle, be
of 10 V/cm to 3 000 V/cm, 35
applied to all species of fish, but preferably to species
d) removing the juvenile fish, after hatching, from the that are bred on a commercial scale. In this connection,
sphere of influence of the electrostatic field, and the treatment of edible fish is of particular importance,
e) rearing said juvenile fish by methods which are as it is expected that production costs can be reduced
known per se. very considerably with the aid of the method of this
The treatment of the fish in the electrostatic field in 40 invention.
the practice of this invention is preferably effected in To illustrate the somewhat general nature of the fore
special incubators which, in the bottom and in the going description and to contribute to a better under
cover, contain built-in electrodes which are water-tight standing of the invention, reference will now be made
and insulated and are connected to a source for produc to specific working Examples which are non-limitative
ing a high direct-current voltage, and with the aid of 45 in character, unless special attention is drawn to them.
which an electrostatic field can be produced inside the The same applies to all particulars of an exemplary
incubators. It is, of course, possible to use any other nature which are contained in the foregoing descrip
experimental apparatus for treating the fish, provided it tion.
meets the basic conditions as set forth above.
After the juvenile fish have hatched, the electric field SO NON-LIMITATIVE WORKING EXAMPLES
is removed and the further rearing of the juvenile fish is PRODUCING THE ELECTROSTATIC
continued by conventional methods free from the influ FIELD-EXPERIMENTAL APPARATUS
ence of an electric field.
Contrary to all theory, and hence extremely surpris All experiments hereinafter described are carried out
ingly, it has been found that, compared with the con 55 in electrostatic fields which are produced between the
trols, the juvenile fish which have hatched in the elec plates of a capacitor.
tric field have, in addition to a substantially enhanced The electric field strength is given by the equation
fertilisation and hatching rate, further advantageous
properties which then also develop after removal of the Earl U/d
electric field and influence the further development of 60.
the fish. where
These further advantageous properties comprise, for U is the potential difference (voltage) between the
example, an enhanced rate of growth compared with capacitor plates, and
the controls. Furthermore, the treated fish, compared d is the distance between the capacitor plates.
with the controls, have a markedly enhanced vitality. 65 The voltage is generated by means of a high-tension
The present invention further relates to the use of the generator which operates on the principle of a trans
method of this invention for modifying specific stress former with rectifier, normally using voltage differ
reactions of fish. . ences from 500 volt to 12 000 volt.
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The distance between the plates will depend on the
dimensions of the test tanks used in the individual exper with field
iments. Normally the variable parameters U and d will free from field tank 1 tank 2
be chosen such that the field strengths of the electro
static field are from 250 V/cm to 1500 V/cm. 5 hatched juvenile fish 40 244 469
perished after hatching 37 14 19
The present invention also relates to an apparatus for perished after 5 weeks 10 5 6
the treatment of early development stages of fish, with size after 10 weeks 2.6 cm 3.4 cm 3.6 cm
electric fields, said apparatus comprising
a) a tank suitable for holding the early development O The fish incubated in the field exhibit a markedly
stages of fish in aqueous medium, and greater vitality.
b) a source for producing a voltage and, connected What is claimed is:
therewith, an arrangement of electrodes suitable for 1. A method of enhancing the growth and develop
producing an electrostatic field in at least a part of the ment efficiency of fish, which method comprises en
volume surrounded by the tank, which process is char 15 hancing the fertilisation, hatching and survival rate as
acterized in that the arrangement of electrodes is elec well as the growth of fish, which method comprises
trically insulated against the medium contained in the a) treating fish eggs with male sperm,
tank and is preferably arranged in form of capacitor b) placing the treated eggs in incubators in which an
plates, and that the source of voltage is a source of a electrostatic field is produced,
direct-current voltage. c) providing field strengths for the electrostatic field
Example 1: Effect of an Electrostatic Field on the of 10 V/cm to 10 000 V/cm,
Development of Fish d) removing juvenile fish, after hatching, from the
sphere of influence of the electrostatic field, and
It is possible to influence favourably the development e) rearing said juvenile fish by methods which are
of animal organisms with the aid of an electrostatic 25 known per se.
field, as will be demonstrated in the following experi 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the field
ment carried out with rainbow trout. - strengths are from 500 V/cm to 1 000 V/cm.
1.1 Experimental Apparatus (FIG. 1) 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the fish is
a trollt.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 30 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the elec
FIG. 1 is a diagram of a preferred form of the inven trostatic field is in the range from 10 V/cm to 3000
V/cm.
tion, being an incubator with a source for an electro 5. A method of enhancing the growth and develop
static field.
Trout eggs (1) in batches of 1000 are treated in tanks ment efficiency of fish, which method comprises en
with male sperm and immediately placed in incubators. 35 hancing the fertilisation, hatching and survival rate as
The incubators consist of 1 liter plexiglass tanks (2) well as the growth of fish, which method comprises
measuring 31.5X28.5X4.5 cm. Aluminium electrodes a) treating fish eggs with male sperm,
(3) which are sealed air- and water-tight are built into b) placing the treated eggs in incubators in which an
the cover and bottom of the containers (see FIG. 1). electrostatic field is produced,
The incubators are connected to a spring water (4) c) providing field strengths for the electrostatic field
of 10 V/cm to 3000 V/cm,
system of 10-12 C. and the electrodes are connected d) removing juvenile fish, after hatching, from the
to a high-tension generator (5) (FUG HCN 14-12500, sphere of influence of the electrostatic field, and
available from Weter, Schaffhausen, Switzerland). The e) rearing said juvenile fish by methods which are
voltage applied is 215 volt and the space between the 45 known per se.
plates is 3 cm, so as to provide a field strength of 716 6. A method of inducing desirable and useful proper
V/cm between the electrodes. The fertilisation and ties in fish, which comprises:
ripening of the eggs takes place in this apparatus. The a) producing an electrostatic field by means of capaci
eye stage is reached after ca. 4 weeks, and the brood tor plates which are insulated against water acting
hatches after ca. 8 weeks. 50 as dielectric medium and whereby the flow of cur
After hatching, the brood is transferred to tanks mea rent is prevented;
suring 50x50X 15 cm with laminar flow and the elec b) exposing early development stages of the fish to
tric field is removed, so that the further development of said electrostatic field under controlled conditions
the juvenile fish may take place free from the influence such as to induce lasting useful and desirable prop
of the field. 55 erties in the fish; and
1.2 Results c) keeping said early development stages of the fish in
said electrostatic field for a period of time suitable
Table 4 shows that the number of juvenile fish which for inducing the desirable and useful properties in
have hatched under the influence of the electrostatic the fish.
field is markedly greater than that of the controls. 60 7. A method according to claim 6, which comprises
Compared with the controls, the number of fish exposing fertilised fish eggs to the electrostatic field.
which perished after hatching and after 5 weeks was 8. A method according to claim 7, which comprises
reduced by about half with aid of the field. leaving the fertilised eggs to ripen in the electrostatic
In addition, a growth increase effect of the field can field.
also be detected. The size of the juvenile fish hatched 65 9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the elec
under the influence of the electrostatic field, 10 weeks trostatic field is in the range from 1 V/cm to 105 V/cm.
after hatching, is from 30 to 40% higher than that of the 10. A method according to claim 9 for inducing en
control fish (q.v. Table 1). - hanced vitality in fish.
 5,048,458
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11. A method according to claim 6, which comprises 14. A method according to claim 13 for inducing
enhanced vitality in fish.
fertilising fish eggs in the electrostatic field. 15. A method according to claim 6 for enhancing the
12. A method according to claim 11, which comprises efficiency of the development and growth of freshwater
leaving the fertilised eggs in the electrostatic field until 5 and saltwater fish, rate.
the juvenile fish hatch. 16. A method according to claim 15 for enhancing the
- hatching rate.
13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the 17. A method according to claim 6 for inducing en
electrostatic field is in the range from 1 V/cm to 10 hanced vitality in fish.
V/cm. 10 sk k k k k

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