Experimental culture of larvae, post‐larvae and juveniles of the West Indian top shell, Cittarium pica (Linnaeus 1758)

The West Indian top shell, Cittarium pica , is an endangered vetigastropod of ecological and commercial value from the Caribbean. In order to assess the use of aquaculture as a tool for its sustainable production and conservation, embryos were produced in hatchery and experimentally cultured until juveniles under different conditions. Embryos were incubated under two temperatures (25 and 29°C) and six densities (0.3, 0.6, 1.0, 4.0, 9.0 and 37.0% of bottom‐coverage). Larvae were reared under different temperatures (25 and 27°C), densities (0.5, 1, 1.5 and 10 larvae/ml) and culture systems (static and down‐welling). Post‐larvae were obtained in three different settling conditions, and the early juveniles were cultured supplying fresh seaweed ( Laurencia obtusa and Padina gymnospora ), natural multi‐specific biofilm and Cylindroteca sp. biofilm. The growth and survival of embryos and larvae were not affected by temperature, but they were affected by density. Higher values were obtained at low densities (<1% of embryos bottom‐coverage and <1 larvae/ml), except for the growth of larvae, which was similar among treatments. Higher larval survival was recorded using the static culture system, and higher percent of post‐larvae recovered was associated with lower density of crawling veliger (0.2 and 0.1/ml), while its higher growth rate was related to the use of biofilms with conspecific mucus and low water‐flow (50%/h). The type of food tested did not affect the juvenile growth, but higher survival was obtained in those fed with seaweed than with multi‐specific biofilm.