RED DRUM LARVAL REARING

Date: 4 Dec 1997

From: GlenPagelson@ardom.ardom.co.il

To: AQUA-L@killick.ifmt.nf.ca

QUESTION:

I am trying to rear red drum from egg. At age 25 days, during the

weaning process, I experience large mortalities that seem to me due to

cannibalism and aggressiveness. Mortalities can result in losing 50% of the batch. Does anyone else out there experience such losses due to

cannibalism and can it be avoided?

Glen Pagelson

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COMMENTS 1:

I have been involved in red drum research and production for over 8 years. There are many, many reasons which are probably causing your mortality, most of these being easily fixed with a little more insight and tedious attention to detail. The reasons are too varied and lengthy to afford my typing them out.

Michael H. Schwarz

Aquaculture Specialist

Virginia Seafood Research and Extension Center

Virginia Tech

PO Box 369

Hampton, VA 23666, USA

757-727-4861 Fax: 757-727-4871

mschwarz@vt.edu

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COMMENTS 2:

Keep the fish at low densities and the feed at high densities, feeding as often as you can. Grade the fingerlings as soon as practical.

Greg Lutz, <glutz@agctr.lsu.edu>

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