Induced Spawning and Larval Culture of Golden Trevally

Abstract

AbstractThe Golden Trevally Gnathanodon speciosus is a popular sport, food, and ornamental fish native to the tropical Indo‐Pacific region, yet there is little information regarding aquaculture technologies. A group of Golden Trevally broodfish was acquired from a local public aquarium in an effort to attempt captive spawning and larval culture. Broodfish were held in 4,500‐L recirculating aquaculture systems and conditioned on a mixed diet of squid, capelin, and krill. Once water temperatures were averaging 26°C, Ovaplant was administered to mature broodfish (six males, two females) in one of the systems. Broodfish spawned on three separate occasions after this hormone administration, releasing probably 35,000 eggs/female during each spawn. Fertile eggs from two of these spawns were used for larval culture attempts. Larvae were stocked into five 104‐L tanks at densities up to 173 larvae/L. Throughout larval culture trials, larvae were fed a combination of copepod nauplii, enriched rotifers, Artemia nauplii, and a dry diet, and the tank water was inoculated with live Tahitian strain Isochrysis galbana up to 26 d posthatch (dph). Larvae achieved complete metamorphosis around 30 dph. By 45 dph, nearly 4.3% of the larvae initially stocked survived and reached about 3.7 cm in length. These successful spawning induction and larval culture trials are promising for future development of a commercial‐level production industry for Golden Trevally.