Skapura, D.S., Neidig, C.L., Grier, H.J., Ph.D.
Abstract:
In aquaculture production, a primary objective is to obtain optimal
egg quality for fry production. Preferably, predictive assessments
should be simple to perform and be carried out soon after spawning.
Determining factors in assessing egg quality include fertilization rate,
cellular morphology, buoyancy, chorion strength, percentage of
normal embryos, and hatch rate. Chemical analysis for osmolality and
composition of total fat and fatty acids, free amino acids, minerals,
vitamins and recent cytogenic studies of chromosomal aberrations of
fish eggs are also used. Current Mote Marine Laboratory studies in on
snook egg quality, place emphasis on fertilization rate, oocyte
morphology and diameter, oil droplet diameter, and percent hatch and
survival to first feeding. The objective is to compare the quality of
eggs produced from natural ovulating females vs those from hormone
(HCG) induced spawns.
Percent hatch is the best indicator of egg quality.
(Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Parkway, Sarasota,
Florida 34236, USA)