No abstract

Owing to their high value, in the 1950s researchers and commercial ventures began investigating the potential of Florida pompano, Trachinotus carolinus, for aquaculture; however, initial efforts did not result in commercialization. In the early 2000s, a renewed interest in pompano as a candidate for aquaculture occurred, and over the last two decades, protocols have been developed that have allowed commercialization of pompano aquaculture. Florida pompano broodstock can be readily conditioned to spawn (26-28 C) to produce large numbers of fertilized eggs year-round via hormonally induced volitional tank spawning. Larval rearing is straight forward using a standard feeding regime of rotifers, then Artemia, followed by co-feeding and weaning to microparticulate diets with metamorphosis occurring at approximately 18-25 days post hatch.Pompano readily consume formulated diets and growout of

The Bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli, is a popular ornamental aquarium species and a key organism for the study of several fundamental biological questions, most notably reversible sex change in adults. To maximize the tractability of this species as an emerging model system, it is essential to have an optimized propagation system and a detailed developmental staging scheme. One limitation to the larviculture of L. dalli is the relatively small size of the larvae, which makes the transition from yolk to feeding challenging. We developed a protocol and successfully reared three generations of L. dalli in the laboratory. The protocol contains several key innovations for the rearing of diminutive fish larvae, including tank design and co‐culturing of microalgae (Isochrysis galbana) with copepods (Parvocalanus sp.) in the larval rearing tanks. In addition, we describe the embryonic and larval development of L. dalli under controlled conditions and in comparison with the model organism Danio rerio. We found that at 21°C L. dalli larvae hatch in 4 days, reach flexion in 18–25 days and are sexually mature by 3 months. Overall, the embryonic development of L. dalli is remarkably similar to D. rerio with several striking differences, including the position and shape of the blastomere, size of the neuromasts and corresponding cupula, and relative timing of pigmentation and brain subdivision. The ability to rear this species in captivity is a valuable tool that could be utilized for a variety of similarly diminutive species and to address a greater breadth and depth of biological questions.

Striped bass, Morone saxatilis, is an anadromous fish native to the North American Atlantic Coast and is well recognized as one of the most important and highly regarded recreational fisheries in the United States. Decades of research