GRANT NUMBER: NA07FD0173

REPORT TITLE: Development of hatchery technologies for snapper

AUTHOR: Holt, Joan G. and Davis, D. Allen

PUBLISH DATE: October 3, 2003

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ABSTRACT

This project examined the fatty acid requirements of yellowtail snapper larvae in order to expand our understanding of larval rearing requirements and advance commercial technologies for the production of yellowtail snapper fingerlings. Larval rearing trials have shown that feeding larvae rotifers and Artemia enriched with commercially available products such as Algamac 2000 or Aquagrow Advantage resulted in better growth than larvae fed the same feeds enriched with live algae (Isochrysis galbana and Nannochloris occulata). However, no significant differences in larval growth were found among treatments fed rotifers and Artemia enriched with Algamac 2000 and Aquagrow Advantage even though these enrichments resulted in significantly different levels of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs). Snapper larvae apparently require much higher levels of highly unsaturated fatty acids than other marine fish such as red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus). For example, Isochrysis galbana enriched rotifers are adequate for red drum larvae whereas yellowtail snapper require a more highly enriched diet. These results suggest that successful culture of this species is dependent upon supplying larvae with adequate levels of fatty acids such as docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and arachidonic acid (ARA).