Food supplementation increases larval growth,
condition and survival of Acanthochromis polyacanthus
D.
Booth, R. Alquezar-2002
Journal of Fish Biology, 60(5): 1126-1133
Abstract:
Supplementary
feeding to damselfish Acanthochromis polyacanthus larvae, at
One Tree Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef,
Australia, led to increased growth in length and
enhanced condition relative to unfed control larvae,
although both groups dropped in body condition (measured
as total lipids) over the experimental period.
Survival of fry was enhanced in fed broods, with on
average 60% survival over 20 days, compared to 46%
survival in unfed broods. Growth, condition and
survival were neither density-dependent nor body-size
dependent within broods. This study suggests variation
in food supply may strongly influence persistence of
larvae to juvenile stages, and thus influence cohort
size.
(Department
of Environmental Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Westbourne
Street, Gore Hill, NSW, 2065, Australia, Tel.: +61 2 9514 4053; fax: +61 2
9514 4003; email: David.Booth@uts.edu.au)