The influence of rearing temperature on early development and growth of spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor (Olafsen) |
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| Authors: | T K Hansen & I B Falk-Petersen |
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| Institution: | Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway |
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| Abstract: | Temperature influenced the developmental rate, survival and early growth of eggs and embryos of spotted wolffish, Anarhichas minor (Olafsen), an interesting candidate for cold water cultivation. The total incubation period decreased from 220 days at 4 °C (880 daydegrees), to 177 days at 6 °C (1062 daydegrees) and 150 days at 8 °C (1200 daydegrees) in these experiments. The proportion of normal embryos and survival of eggs until hatching were highest when the eggs were incubated at 6 °C. During the incubation period, the embryo and yolk sac size at 280 daydegrees was not significantly different but at 850 daydegrees the embryo size was inversely related to temperature and the remaining yolk sac size positively correlated with the incubation temperature. The transformation of yolk to body mass during incubation appeared to be most efficient at 4 °C, and the embryos hatched with a larger visible yolk sac at 6 and 8 °C. The largest larvae (wet‐weight) hatched from the largest eggs and the egg groups incubated at the lowest temperature (4 °C). There was no effect of temperature on meristic characters. During 6 weeks post‐hatching, all larvae from the three temperature groups were fed formulated dry feed in excess at 8 °C in low water‐level raceway systems. During startfeeding, the larvae from eggs incubated at the lowest temperature (4 °C) showed the highest growth rates (SGR). Best survival of larvae was noted among batches incubated at 6 °C. |
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| Keywords: | egg incubation development temperature deformation spotted wolffish Anarhichas minor |
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