Several species of marine fishes were cultured in cages in the intake and discharge canals of the P. H. Robinson Generating Station on Galveston Bay, Texas. Survival in the intake canal cages of Atlantic croaker (Micropogon undulatus), pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides), Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus), white mullet (Mugil curema), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), and black drum (Pogonias cromis) was on the average 70% or greater, while that of pigfish (Orthopristis chrysoptera), Gulf kingfish (Menticirrhus littoralis), and silver perch (Bairdiella chrysura) was less than 70%. With the exception of pinfish, survival of caged fish in the discharge canal was extremely poor. Gas‐bubble disease was the probable cause of their mortality. Only croaker and pompano adapted to surface feeding in cages. Croaker, pinfish, and pompano cultured in cages were rated acceptable by a 12‐member taste panel. Mean taste evaluation scores for croaker, pinfish, and pompano for the appearance, flavor, and overall satisfaction categories were not significantly different (P=0.01). After about 1 year in the water, most cages used in the intake canal were in goad condition, but those located in the discharge canal were in poor condition.
Age O black drum (Pogonias cromis) were stocked in polyculture with age O Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus); age O striped mullet (Mugil cephalus); and in monoculture in 0.1 ha flow‐through ponds. Densities were 5,000 fish/ha each for Florida pompano and black drum and 500 fish/ha for striped mullet. Pompano were harvested after 5 months of culture leaving black drum counterparts to continue in monoculture. After approximately 278 days, production of drum was 66% greater when initially grown with pompano for 145 days than for those maintained in monoculture throughout the study. The small number of striped mullet served as feeding stimuli for black drum, thus improving production 40% over drum kept in monoculture.
Brown shrimp (Penaeus aztecus) were grown at densities of 3000/ha in polyculture with fish in flow‐through 0.1 ha ponds. Shrimp, 104.8 † 6.81 mm in total length, were stocked with Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus), 67.6 † 9.32 mm in standard length (SL); Florida pompano, 58.0 † 6.13 mm SL, and black drum (Pogonias cromis), 91.9 † 11.17 mm SL; black drum, 86.3 † 10.65 mm SL; and black drum, 93.7 † 7.92 mm SL, and striped mullet (Mugil cephalus), 74.5 † 26.36 mm SL. Densities were 5000/ha for Florida pompano and black drum, and 500/ha for striped mullet. Shrimp survival ranged from 19.0 to 63.3%. Average survivals, all treatments, were poorest with Florida pompano and best with black drum in fish monocultures. Growth was excellent, averaging 0.17 g/day and similar with all fish species and combinations.
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