Understanding species‐specific physiological flexibility in Indian major carps (IMCs) is crucial for enhancing thermal resilience, safeguarding health, and sustaining year‐round productivity in climate‐sensitive freshwater systems. This study examined the seasonal physiological adaptability of three Indian main carps ( Labeo rohita , Gibelion catla , and Cirrhinus cirrhosus ) by measuring growth performance, proximate composition, and hematological profiles in both overwintering and summer aquaculture environments. It was hypothesized that seasonal heat changes would cause species‐specific metabolic and immunological responses, indicating varying tolerance to environmental stress. All IMC species exhibited enhanced growth during the summer season, for example, G. catla exhibited the highest specific growth rate (SGR) of 1.26 ± 0.13%/day and average daily growth (ADG) of 2.56 ± 0.32 g than the other species. Moisture dominated the proximate composition, while protein and lipid contents declined in winter. Hematological analysis manifested seasonal and species‐specific physiological responses to environmental stressors. Increased concentrations of white blood cells (WBCs), monocytes, glucose, and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in fish blood denoted that higher temperature in summer attributes to increased metabolic activities and improved immune responses. Conversely, reduction in hematocrit (HCT) levels during winter in G. catla (32.53 ± 0.54%) and C. cirrhosus (33.14 ± 1.35%) suggests a physiological adaptation to lower oxygen availability, potentially reflecting a seasonal modulation of erythropoiesis and oxygen‐carrying capacity under cold‐induced hypoxic stress. Furthermore, the elevation in serum creatinine levels in all experimented IMCs during winter suggested potential changes in renal activity due to fish physiological adjustments in winter. The findings highlight the importance of better aeration, water exchange, and ammonia control in summer and careful stocking with minimal handling in winter to reduce stress in overwintering ponds.
Sharmin et al. (Thu,) studied this question.