Terminalia catappa improves growth performance and survival of the Amazon leaf fish ( Monocirrhus polyacanthus ) larvae submitted to handling stress

Abstract

The leaf fish Monocirrhus polyacanthus is an Amazon ornamental fish with a peculiar characteristic of mimicry of dead leaf form. Its mouth protrusion, slow-moving and transparent fins facilitate the capture of preys. Those are appreciated characteristics in the ornamental market, but its commercialization is based mainly on capture of wild fish (Catarino & Zuanon, 2010). Therefore, protocols for the breeding of this species in captivity are important to minimize the impact over the wild population as well as to provide a health fish to the world market. The larviculture of many ornamental fish species is an obstacle for their commercial production. Mortalities higher than 80% were reported in the early stages of life of M. polyacanthus kept in captivity (Ramos, Abe, & Fujimoto, 2016). Leaf fish larviculture also shows high mortality rate during transition to industrial feed due to cannibalism (Luz, Salaro, Souto, Okano, & Lima, 2002) and stressful rearing practices (Pederzoli & Mola, 2016). These stressors cause immunosuppression and consequently promote proliferation of pathogens causing disease outbreaks and economic lost (Behringer, Wood, Krkošek, & Bushek, 2020). These