Rearing techniques for red porgy (Pagrus pagrus) during larval development

Abstract

Red porgy can be considered as a potential candidate to diversify aquaculture production of sparids, due both to the importance of red porgy fisheries and market within Europe, and to its phylogenetic closeness to gilthead seabream. Spontaneously spawned eggs were obtained from a broodstock of wild individuals captured in Canarian waters. Different rearing trials were conducted to study the success of: (a) different egg stocking densities (100, 150 and 200 eggs/l); (b) first feeding with rotifers enriched with different products (Powersh-fish oil, freeze-dried shark eggs and Selco supplemented with Nannochloropsis sp); and (c) supply of rotifers to larval cultures at different concentrations (5, 7 and 10 rotifers/ml). In all cases, larval feeding lasted for 14 days. Larval length was measured at the time of mouth opening, at day 10 of life, and at the end of the experiments. Larval survival was estimated at the end of each experiment by counting all the remaining live larvae. Total lipid and fatty acid composition of rotifers and larvae were analyzed and discussed in relation to larval growth and survival. In this study, egg densities between 100 and 150 eggs/l and the use of rotifers enriched with Powersh-W, containing a high level of 22:6n−3, at concentrations of 5–7 rotifers/ml produced the best larval growth and survival.