Tank culture of
larval sunshine bass, Morone chrysops (Rafinesque) X M. saxatilis
(Walbaum), at three feeding levels
G.M. Ludwig-2003
Aquaculture
Research, 34(14):
1277-1286
Abstract:
Sunshine bass, a hybrid of female white
bass Morone chrysops (Rafinesque) and male striped bass M.
saxatilis (Walbaum), fingerling production occurs almost exclusively in
ponds. To increase production and maintain year-round production in
temperate climates, indoor tank culture is required. While tank production
of fingerlings has been demonstrated, little is known about feeding
requirements. Sunshine bass larvae, stocked at 75 L-1 in 100 L
of brackish water, were fed sequentially with rotifers Brachionus
plicatilis cultured with a Nannochloropis algae paste and
enriched with highly unsaturated fatty acids, decapsulated Artemia
nauplii, and a microencapsulated commercial diet. The larvae in one
treatment (three replicates) were initially fed rotifers at a daily rate of
20 mL-1, then nauplii at an initial rate of 2 mL-1,
and then the commercial diet at 1 g. Larvae in two other treatments
received two and three times as much food daily. The highest feeding rate
resulted in a survival (52.9%) that was significantly higher than the
survival rate (22.4%) of larvae fed the least. The total biomass produced
was the highest in the treatment receiving the most food. The lowest feeding
rate produced the least fish, but they were the heaviest. The intermediate
feeding rate produced the shortest fish (11.3 mm).
(Harry K Dupree Stuttgart National
Aquaculture Research Center, Agriculture Research Service, US Department of
Agriculture, PO Box 1050, Stuttgart, AR 72160, USA. E-mail: gludwig@spa.ars.usda.gov)