Effect of temperature on growth and survival of Chirostoma estor estor, Jordan 1879, monitored using a simple video technique for remote measurement of length and mass of larval and juvenile fishes

• Published in: Aquaculture 2002-06, Vol.209 (1), p.369-377
• Main Authors: Martı́nez-Palacios, Carlos A., Barriga Tovar, Erik, Taylor, John F., Rı́os Durán, Gisela, Ross, Lindsay G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; Chirostoma estor estor; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Pisciculture; Specific growth rate; Vertebrate aquaculture; Video technique
• ISSN: 0044-8486; 1873-5622
• DOI: 10.1016/S0044-8486(01)00873-0

The growth and survival of white fish ( Chirostoma estor estor) larvae were measured at different temperatures ranging from 16.1 to 34 °C. A single camera video system was used for accurate measurement of length of larval and juvenile fish, which enabled growth experiments on delicate animals with minimal handling. Use of a length/weight relationship then enabled estimation of mass. When applied to C. estor estor, the error of the system was generally less than 0.5% for length, but increased to over 1% when the distance of the larva to the grids increased. The total practical error in estimation of biomass using the video method was −2.05% for dry weight, with a range from −7.1% to +4.1%. Over a number of experiments, the recorded mortality due to the measuring process was less than 1%, representing a dramatic advance on all previous attempts to work with Chirostoma. This simple method could have wider utility for fragile larvae such as marine fish. Larvae were fed ad libitum with Brachionus rubens rotifers and Artemia franciscana nauplii for 1 month. The results showed that the optimum temperature for specific growth rates (SGR) was 28 °C, although survival was only 18% at this temperature. The best survival (53%) was at temperatures of 22 and 25 °C. The best overall temperature for growth and survival was 25 °C.