Open AccessFacilities And Methodology For The Culture Of The Southern Sea Bass (Centropristis melana) 1
Author(s) -
Roberts Daniel E.,
Harpster Brian V.,
Havens Walter K.,
Halscott Kenneth R.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
proceedings of the annual meeting ‐ world mariculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0164-0399
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.1976.tb00062.x
Subject(s) - biology , hatching , brachionus , larva , fishery , broodstock , sea bass , yolk , zoology , plankton , ecology , aquaculture , fish <actinopterygii>
A closed system was designed for mass culture of marine finfish larvae. Southern sea bass (Centropristis melana) brood stock were collected in the Gulf of Mexico during January‐March, 1975, their natural spawning season. Brood stock were maintained in a simulated spawning environment of 17–19 C temperature and 10 hr L:14 hr D photo‐period. Vitellogenesis of ovarian oocytes remained in the tertiary yolk globule stage in females held under these conditions and males would release milt freely upon manual stimulation. Final oocyte maturation and spawning were induced with Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and manual spawning techniques. Approximately 2,500 larvae were reared in three trials using 2,000–liter silo tanks with biological filtration. Laboratory reared rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) were solely used as food the first 4 days after feeding began. Wild plankton, rotifers, Artemia nauplii, and prepared flake were also used as larvae developed. Greatest larval survival from hatching was 10.0%. Larvae grew from 2.78 mm to 9.0 mm in 24 days; the greatest growth rate occurred after day 14. Physiological edema was observed in two trials affecting 30–50% of the larvae. Physiological edema appears to be the principal constraint to successful rearing of sea bass larvae.