Acclimation and deacclimation of brown trout (Salmo trutta) to zinc and copper singly and in combination with cadmium or copper.

Brown trout (Salmo trutta) were chronically exposed to low and high levels of zinc (Zn) alone, copper (Cu) alone, a Zn-Cu mixture, and a Zn-cadmium (Cd) mixture all starting with eyed eggs and continuing through to the fingerling stage. Exposure to the metals and metal mixtures resulted in acclimation as measured by greater median lethal concentrations (LC50) values relative to metal-naïve fry. The degree of acclimation was similar between the low and high exposures except for Cu, where acclimation was observed at the high but not the low acclimation level. The increases in tolerance relative to metal-naïve controls were usually less than a factor of 2 and never exceeded a factor of 3. Acclimation exposures did not affect hatch or survival except for the high-acclimation regime of Zn plus Cu. Acclimation came at an apparent metabolic cost because growth was decreased by most acclimation exposures. Deacclimation, as evidenced by a return of LC50 values to naïve levels, occurred after 2-5 weeks in clean water.