Lactate (LDH) and malate dehydrogenase (MDH) of white skeletal muscle of fishes acclimated to 20, 25 and 30°C and thereafter submitted to hypoxia were studied in different substrate concentrations. Significant differences for LDH and MDH of white muscle enzyme activities are described here for the first time in Rhinelepis strigosa of fishes acclimated to 20°C and submitted to hypoxia for six hours. LDH presented a significant decrease in enzyme affinity for pyruvate in acute hypoxia, for fishes acclimated to 20°C and an increase for fishes acclimated to 30°C.