The striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) has been the most important in aquaculture in the Mekong Delta,Vietnam. The fingerling of this species are normally transported from nursing ponds to grow-out ponds by boats. Fish are highly stressed depending on transportation duration. This research was studied on the change of hematological data, plasma cortisol and glucose concentrations of the fish in tranportation condition and determined the suitable levels of vitamin C supplemented in feed to reduce stress of the striped catfish fingerling under transportation conditions. Blood samples were collected at different points of time during the transportation process including before transportation (in hapa installed in pond); in carrying basket (from hapa to boat); 2 hrs., 4 hrs. and 6 hrs. of transportation in boat; and in carrying basket (from boat o grow-out pond).

The results showed that during the transportion, plasma cortisol and glucose concentrations of the fish changed from 170 ng/mL to 249 ng/mL and 60 mg/100 mL to 110 mg/100mL, respectively. The plasma cortisol increased while fish held in the carrying baskets. However, significant differences of plasma cortisol and glucose levels were only found in the groups of 4 hrs. and 6 hrs. transportation duration. According to Foo and Lam (1993) the cortisol levels of un-stressed fish was lower 10 ng/mL, these results shows that fish were highly stressed during the transportation.

The plasma cortisol concentrations sampled at different points of time of fish fed without vitamin C diet or low vitamin level diets (20 and 30 mg/kg) were significantly increased if compared to those before application of transportation process. In contrast, the significant difference of corisol levels of the fish fed high vitamin C diets (40 mg/kg) was not found. Plasma glucose concentrations of the fish fed with 40 mg/kg vitamin C diets were lower than those of without vitamins C  and lower levels (20 and 30 mg/kg). This research indicates that pre-feeding of vitamin C added diet for the striped catfish fingerling would help to reduce stress during the transportation.