Open AccessShort‐term Effects of First‐prey Type and Number on Survival and Growth of Intensively Cultured Spotted Seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (Sciaenidae), Larvae
Author(s) -
Lemus Jason T.,
Blaylock Reginald B.,
Apeitos Angelos,
Lotz Jeffrey M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of the world aquaculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0893-8849
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.2010.00387.x
Subject(s) - sciaenidae , biology , larva , predation , fishery , zoology , term (time) , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , physics , quantum mechanics
Five test diets – 20, 10 rotifers/mL/d, 5 rotifers/mL/d + 3 nauplii/mL/d, 5 and 8 nauplii/mL/d – were used to examine the effect of Acartia tonsa nauplii and a small strain of rotifers on survival, myotome height, notochord length, and condition (myotome height/notochord length) of spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus , larvae through 6‐d posthatch (PH). Diet did not affect survival. Larvae fed 5 and 8 nauplii/mL or 5 rotifers + 3 nauplii were longer, taller, and in better condition than larvae fed either 10 or 20 rotifers/mL. The condition of larvae fed diets with nauplii declined after Day 5 which suggests a shortage of prey in those diets after Day 4 or 5. Although copepod nauplii offer substantial short‐term benefits in the culture of spotted seatrout, further study is required to determine the number of nauplii and/or rotifers necessary in the diet beyond Day 4 and to assess the long‐term impact of the different diets.