Food supplementation increases larval growth, condition and survival of Acanthochromis polyacanthus

Abstract

Supplementary feeding to damselfish Acanthochromis polyacanthus larvae, at One Tree Island on the southern Great Barrier Reef, Australia, led to increased growth in length and enhanced condition relative to unfed control larvae, although both groups dropped in body condition (measured as total lipids) over the experimental period. Survival of fry was enhanced in fed broods, with on average 60% survival over 20 days, compared to 46% survival in unfed broods. Growth, condition and survival were neither density-dependent nor body-size dependent within broods. This study suggests variation in food supply may strongly influence persistence of larvae to juvenile stages, and thus influence cohort size.