Does copepods influence dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) early development?

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Does copepods influence dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) early development? Monica Mateus1, Ana M. Gamboa2, Laura Ribeiro2, Paulo Gavaia3, Paula Moura2, Pedro Pousão-Ferreira2 and Maria E. Cunha2* 1 Escola Superior de Turismo e Tecnologia do Mar, Portugal 2 Instituto Portugues do Mar e Atmosfera, Portugal 3 Centro de Ciências do Mar, Portugal Good knowledge on the development of early life stages is essential for successful conservation programs of threatened fish species. Diet and rearing system affects early life survival and juvenile quality. Copepods are the natural food of fish larvae in the wild possessing high nutritional value, when compared with live feeds used in aquaculture (rotifers and artemia), and a wide range of size classes. Rearing systems with low water column disturbance and low larval densities enhanced the survival of fragile fish larvae. The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of the introduction of copepods in the diet of early dusky grouper larvae reared in controlled mesocosm systems using larval development and juvenile quality as indicators. Two feeding protocols were tested, one composed only by rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis), brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) and dry feed and the other supplemented with copepods (Paracartia grani) from mouth opening (2 day after hatching - DAH) to 8 DAH. Feeding behavior, growth, survival, skeletal malformations and digestive enzymes activity was assessed at different developmental stages. The addition of copepods to the early larvae diet of dusky grouper resulted in faster development and higher survival rates. Larvae fed with copepods improved their development. At 20 DAH all larvae reared at the mesocosm with copedods were already at the stage of post-flexion while in the system without copepods this stage was attained later. At 25 DAH only 64% of the larvae were in post flexion in the mesoscosm without copepods. At 30 DAH larvae supplemented with copepods attained an acidic digestion (high specific activity of pepsin) earlier than at the system without copepods. In this last system alkaline digestion (trypsin specific activity), characteristic of early larval stages, was significantly higher reinforcing the faster development of larvae fed with copepods. In both systems the incidence of skeletal malformations was low. Acknowledgements To Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Project: Diverse PTDC/MAR/113786/2009. Keywords: Controlled mesocosm, fish larvae, Acartia grani, digestive enzymes, skeletal malformation Conference: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2014, Peniche, Portugal, 10 Jul - 11 Jul, 2014. Presentation Type: Poster Presentation Topic: AQUACULTURE Citation: Mateus M, Gamboa AM, Ribeiro L, Gavaia P, Moura P, Pousão-Ferreira P and Cunha ME (2014). Does copepods influence dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) early development?. Front. Mar. Sci. Conference Abstract: IMMR | International Meeting on Marine Research 2014. doi: 10.3389/conf.fmars.2014.02.00024 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 09 May 2014; Published Online: 18 Jul 2014. * Correspondence: Dr. Maria E Cunha, Instituto Portugues do Mar e Atmosfera, Olhão, 8700-305, Portugal, micunha@ipma.pt Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Monica Mateus Ana M Gamboa Laura Ribeiro Paulo Gavaia Paula Moura Pedro Pousão-Ferreira Maria E Cunha Google Monica Mateus Ana M Gamboa Laura Ribeiro Paulo Gavaia Paula Moura Pedro Pousão-Ferreira Maria E Cunha Google Scholar Monica Mateus Ana M Gamboa Laura Ribeiro Paulo Gavaia Paula Moura Pedro Pousão-Ferreira Maria E Cunha PubMed Monica Mateus Ana M Gamboa Laura Ribeiro Paulo Gavaia Paula Moura Pedro Pousão-Ferreira Maria E Cunha Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.