Survival and growth of the early stages of Gulf Killifish in various salinities.
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Hatching percentage, time of hatching, and subsequent 2.5-week growth and survival of fry of gulf killifish (Fundulis grandis) were compared at 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 60, and 80%. salinities. Mean hatching percentages in the 0-35%. range, with the exception of 69.0% hatch at 10%., were high (77.0 - 91.3%) and did not differ significantly. At 60 and 80%., hatching was significantly lower (21.7 and 35.7%, respectively) than at all other salinities. Time to beginning of hatch and to median hatch were positively correlated with salinity (r2= 0.92). Fry growth in length was highest at 20%. and lowest at 60 and 80%.. At all other salinities, mean final length did not differ significantly. Significantly higher mean final weight of fry was recorded at 5, 20, and 35%. than at 0, 60, and 80%.. Mean survival of fry was significantly lower at 0 and 80%. (60.0%) than at 5-60%. (95.0- 100.0%), with the exception of 80.0% survival at 35%.. Salinity ranges of 0-40%. for incubation and 5-40% for fry growth and survival, rather than a set of optimum salinities, were found to be suitable for gulf killifish culture.