It has been reported that various anti-oxidant substances stimulate non-specific immune responses in fishes. In this study it was examined whether N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an anti-oxidant glutathione (GSH) precursor, can modulate non-specific immune parameters in 8 different fishes. NAC was intraperitoneally administered at 10 mg/kg to catfish (Silurus asotus), loach (Misgurnus mizolepis), common carp (Cyprinus carpio), crucian carp (Carassius carassius), eel (Anguilla japonica), snakehead (Channa argus), tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and mullet (Mugil cephalus). Forty-eight hours later, chemiluminescence (CL) response of head-kidney leukocytes and serum lysozyme activity were assessed. In all fishes except crusian carp and loach, CL responses were amplified by NAC. Lysozyme activity was increased by NAC in all fish species but not in tilapia. This result suggests that NAC stimulates non-specific immune responses in various species, and that such effects may have beneficial significance in aquaculture for practical utilization.