Effects of Temperature and Salinity on Growth of Juvenile Black Sea Bass, with Implications for Aquaculture
Ch.F. Cotton, R.L. Walker, T.C. Recicar-2003
North American Journal of Aquacultur, 65(4):
330–338
Abstract:
The black sea bass Centropristis
striata has recently gained popularity in the live seafood markets
of the northeastern United States. Fish farmers need instruction on
optimizing environmental parameters for the growth of black sea bass. In
this study, optimal temperature and salinity were determined experimentally
for the growth of juvenile black sea bass (initial mean weight, approx. 9.2
g). The temperature experiment compared growth at temperatures of 15, 20,
25, and 30°C; the salinity experiment compared growth at 10, 20, and 30‰
salinities. Both of these experiments were performed in closed aquaria. At
the end of the temperature experiment (6 weeks), Tukey's Studentized range
test (α= 0.05) showed that fish reared at 25°C were significantly
larger than those reared at 20°C and 30°C. All of these temperatures
produced significantly larger fish than did the 15°C treatment. At the end
of the salinity experiment (12 weeks), Tukey's Studentized range test (α=
0.05) showed that salinities of 20‰ and 30‰ did not produce
significantly different weights in fish. However, both of these salinities
produced significantly larger fish than did a salinity of 10‰. Given the
results of these experiments, fish farmers can manipulate the environmental
parameters of their aquacultural systems to optimize growth of juvenile
black sea bass, thereby reducing the time required to produce a marketable
product.
(Department of Fisheries Science, Virginia Institute
of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Post Office Box 1346,
Gloucester Point, Virginia 23062, USA)