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Selected AbstractsEffects of ontogeny, temperature, and light on vertical movements of larval Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus)FISHERIES OCEANOGRAPHY, Issue 5 2009THOMAS P. HURST Abstract The role of behavior, especially vertical migration, is recognized as a critical component of realistic models of larval fish dispersion. Unfortunately, our understanding of these behaviors lags well behind our ability to construct three-dimensional flow-field models. Previous field studies of vertical behavior of larval Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) were limited to small, preflexion stages (,11 mm SL) in a narrow range of thermal conditions. To develop a more complete picture of larval behavior, we examined the effects of ontogeny, temperature, and light on vertical responses of larval Pacific cod in experimental columns. While eggs were strictly demersal, yolk-sac larvae displayed a strong surface orientation as early as 1 day post hatch (, 5 mm SL). Consistent with field observations, small preflexion larvae (<10 mm SL) showed no response to varying light levels. However, there was a direct effect of temperature on larval behavior: Pacific cod larvae exhibited a stronger surface orientation at 4°C than at 8°C. The behavior of larger, postflexion larvae (>15 mm SL) in experimental columns was consistent with a diel vertical migration and independent of water temperature: fish were more widely distributed in the column, and median positions were consistently deeper at higher light levels. These laboratory observations are combined with observations from discrete-depth (MOCNESS) sampling in the Gulf of Alaska to characterize the vertical distribution of larval Pacific cod and contrast ontogenetic patterns with walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). The vertical movements of larval Pacific cod described here will be applied in the development of dispersal projections from Gulf of Alaska spawning grounds. [source] Effects of Larval Stocking Density on Laboratory-Scale and Commercial-Scale Production of Summer Flounder Paraliehthys dentatusJOURNAL OF THE WORLD AQUACULTURE SOCIETY, Issue 3 2000Nicholas J. King Experiments 1 and 2 at commercial scale tested the densities of 10 and 60 larvae/L, and 10, 20, and 30/L, respectively. The laboratory scale experiment tested the densities of 10, 20, 30, and 40 larvae/L. Experiments were carried out in two separate filtered, flow-through seawater systems at URI Narragansett Bay Campus (laboratory-scale), and at GreatBay Aquafarms, Inc. (commercial-scale). At both locations, the larvae were raised in a "greenwater" culture environment, and fed rotifers and brine shrimp nauplii according to feeding regimes established for each location. Water temperature was maintained at 21C (± 2) and 19C (± 1) for the duration of laboratory and commercial experiments, respectively. Experiments 1 and 2 at the commercial location were terminated at 42 and 37 d post hatch (dph), respectively, and the laboratory experiment lasted 34 DPH. Larvae initially stocked at 10/L grew to an average length of 14.3 and 14.4 mm, and were significantly larger (P < 0.05) than those stocked at 30/L (13.1 mm) and 60/L (11.7 mm) in commercial scale experiments I and 2, respectively. At laboratory scale, no significant differences in length were detected, although mean total length tended to decrease with increasing stocking density (average length of 14.2, 13.3, 12.7, and 12.7 mm for treatments of 10, 20, 30, and 40/L, respectively). Final survival percentage was not affected by stocking density in either commercial experiment, and was 61 and 40% for treatments of 10 and 60/L in Experiment 1, respectively, and 62, 59, and 56% for Experiment 2, respectively. Similarly, there was no significant difference in final survival percentage among treatments in the laboratory experiment, which averaged 59, 55, 56, and 37% for treatments of 10, 20, 30, and 40L. respectively. Since larval length was not different between the intermediate densities (20 and 30 Iarvae/L), and because high-density rearing can produce a much greater numerical yield per tank, we recommend a density of 30 larvaen as an optimal stocking density for the hatchery production of summer flounder. [source] Expression of four muscle proteins at different growth stages of Günther's walking catfish Clarias macrocephalusAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 9 2010Supawadee Poompuang Abstract The complete cDNA sequences of four contractile muscle genes of walking catfish Clarias macrocephalus were characterized by assembling partial EST sequences from a skeletal muscle cDNA library. The four genes were parvalbumin 4 (PV4) (670 bp), troponin C (TnC) (1065 bp), troponin I (TnI) (843 bp) and myosin light chain 3 (MLC3) (953 bp), leading to deduced amino acid sequences of 109, 160, 176 and 150 residues respectively. During the larval stage, TnC mRNA showed the highest levels of expression with a 1.4-fold increase from day 1 to day 30 post hatch. At 90 days, the relative expression levels of PV4, TnC and MLC3 were the highest, with similar proportions in the skeletal muscle, corresponding to the highest relative growth rate of walking catfish. Expression of the three calcium-binding proteins remained high in 6-month-old fish, with higher levels of PV4. The different proportions of muscle proteins expressed suggested the significance of their contributions to fish growth and appeared to be correlated with the functional properties of muscle cells, which were observed from changes in the swimming activity of the fish. [source] Reproduction, early development and larviculture of the barber goby, Elacatinus figaro (Sazima, Moura & Rosa 1997)AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Maria Eugenia Meirelles Abstract The barber goby, Elacatinus figaro, is a cleaner species of ecological importance and of keen interest to the aquarium trade. Endemic to Brazil, it is a threatened species and so aquaculture is a potential solution for reducing pressure on the natural stocks. This study describes the reproductive behaviour, the embryonic and larval development and the general breeding and rearing conditions. Ten wild fish initiated the formation of breeding pairs 20 days after acclimation to captivity. Spawning started 12 days after the first pair was formed, with one female from each pair spawning from 140 to 700 eggs (n=15 spawnings). The average period of incubation of the eggs was 6.8 days at 25 °C. The best hatching rate was 99.5% (n=10 spawnings). Larval rearing used Nannochloropsis oculata with rotifers (Brachionus rotundiformis) as the first food (day 0,25); nauplii and meta-nauplii of Artemia were fed from day 18 until larval metamorphosis with subsequent weaning using commercial marine fish diets. The transformation to juveniles started at around the 30th day post hatch. The best larval survival rate until complete metamorphosis was 30.6% (n=4 larvicultures). After this period, the mortality was insignificant. This study demonstrated that the cultivation of barber goby is feasible. [source] Growth and survival of first-feeding spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor Olafsen) at various temperature regimesAQUACULTURE RESEARCH, Issue 14 2002Tove K Hansen Abstract In order to define temperature regimes that could benefit successful production of spotted wolffish (Anarhichas minor) juveniles, experiments with offspring from two different females were carried out. The larvae were fed a new formulated feed or a commercial start-feed for marine fish, both of which have given high survival rates. In the first experiment newly hatched larvae were fed at constant 6 °C, 8 °C, 10 °C and 12 °C as well as at ambient seawater temperature (2.9,4.5 °C) during 63 days. High survival, 90% to 96%, was registered at ambient and most constant temperature regimes, whereas in the 12 °C groups survival was reduced to 80%. Growth rate (SGR) was very low, 1.8% day,1, at the low ambient temperatures. Growth rate was positively correlated with temperature and varied between 3.1% day,1 to 4.7% day,1, from 6 °C to 12 °C. In the second experiment, set up to include potential detrimental temperatures and study beneficial effects of a more restricted, elevated first-feeding temperature regime, the larvae were fed at constant 8 °C, 10 °C, 12 °C, 14 °C and 16 °C until 30 days post hatch, followed by constant 8 °C for the next 33 days. In this experiment, low survival, 25% and 2.0%, was registered at 63 days post hatch when larvae were reared initially at 14 °C and 16 °C respectively. The survival of the larvae at the other temperature regimes varied from 47% to 64%, highest survival rate (64%) was found at 8 °C. The lowest specific growth rate, 2.6% day,1, was noted in the 16 °C group. At constant 8 °C to 14 °C (regulated to 8 °C), the SGR varied from 4.45% day,1 to 5.13% day,1. The larvae grew faster in the experiment when initially comparable temperatures (8 °C, 10 °C and 12 °C) were regulated to constant 8 °C after 30 days compared with the first experiment where feeding was carried out at the same constant temperatures (8 °C, 10 °C and 12 °C) during the whole experimental period. [source] |