Aggressive behaviour and cannibalism in greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili : effects of stocking density, feeding conditions and size differences

Abstract

Aggressive behaviour, assessed by 24-h observations, and survival rates, determined in a 2-week rearing experiment, were examined in greater amberjack, Seriola dumerili, subjected to single and multiple factors (high density, restricted feeding and diverse size). Aggressive behaviour frequency in the group subjected to both restricted feeding and size diversity (FS) was significantly higher than that in the other groups (Tukey, n=4, P<0.05). In the FS group, aggressive behaviour increased with the starvation time from 19 days post hatching (dph) to 23 dph (two-way analysis of variance, Tukey, n=4, P<0.05), but decreased gradually thereafter to 46 dph. In the rearing experiment, the survival rates for the diverse size and FS groups were lower than those of the control or restricted feeding groups (Kaplan–Meier, log-rank test, n=100, P<0.01). Daily mortality in all groups was the highest at 24 dph; although dead fish were usually small, disappearance due to cannibalism was not observed during the rearing period. The results indicate that aggressive behaviour in greater amberjack is induced by hunger and size diversity in the early juvenile stages (23 dph). Mass mortality during seedling production was mainly caused by injury and the death of small fish due to aggressive behaviour/cannibalism.