NATURAL SPAWNING AND REARING OF
MANGROVE RED SNAPPER,
LUTJANUS ARGENTIMACULATUS, LARVAE IN CAPTIVITY
Ming-Yih Leu, I-Hui Chen, Lee-Shing Fang-2003
The Israeli
Journal of Aquaculture - Bamidgeh 55(1): 22-30
Abstract:
Mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus,
Forsskål) spawned naturally in captivity, without the use of hormones or
other treatments, from May 21 to September 15,1999. Each female laid an
average 2,350,000 eggs. Larvae were reared in 4-ton circular fiberglass
tanks. They were first fed S-type rotifers (Brachionus rotundiformis).
Later, Artemia nauplii and copepods were added to the diet. They were weaned
onto an artificial diet. Metamorphosis began at 18 days when the larvae
reached 10.5 mm total length and was complete by day 30 when larvae were
17.2 mm. From day 26, large larvae (over 25 mm) cannibalized their smaller
siblings. Abnormalities were observed in 4.9% of the individuals. At 50
days, the larvae rearing trial produced juveniles of 49 mm average total
length with a survival of 10.8-32.3%.
(National
Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, Taiwan 944,
Republic of China, Tel.:
886-8-882-5001 ext. 8024, fax:886-8-882-5066, e-mail: myl@nmmba.gov.tw)