DEFORMITIES, GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF SABLEFISH LARVAE Anoplopoma fimbria FED TAURINE ENRICHED LIVE FEEDS
Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) is a high value fish found throughout the Northeastern Pacific. There is strong interest to develop sablefish as an aquaculture species. High percentages of deformities are a problem during larval rearing. To improve aquaculture protocols for sablefish larvae and reduce deformities we studied the effects of taurine, an important amino sulfonic acid, during the live feeding stage on deformities, growth, and survival from first feeding to juveniles. Reducing deformities and improving growth and survival during early larval development is necessary and important to aquaculture facilities, researchers and ultimately consumers.
In separate trials we studied the effects of feeding zero to high concentrations of taurine (~zero, 20mg/g, 40mg/g, 80mg/g) in rotifers on deformities, growth and survival of sablefish larvae at weaning and in juveniles raised from those treatments (trial one). For trial two we studied the effects of dietary taurine verses temperature during the rotifer feeding period. Larvae in cold temperature treatments (with and without taurine) spent the first 9 days at 10°C before being increased to 15°C. Larvae in warm treatments (with and without taurine) spent 4 days at 10°C degrees prior to being increased to 15°C. In the third trial we studied the effects of feeding taurine enriched Artemia nauplii on deformities, growth and survival of sablefish larvae.
In trial one there were no differences in the percentage of deformed fish among the ~zero to high taurine treatments, though survival and growth were improved in the 80mg taurine/g rotifers treatment. After three months of growth, survival and deformities were not significantly different among juveniles raised from the treatments. In the second trial, larvae that had remained at 10°C for 9 days and were fed taurine enriched rotifers had significantly higher (P < 0.05) survival compared to larvae in the other three treatments (Table 1). Weights were lower in the two taurine treatments, possibly because survival was higher compared to no taurine. There were no significant differences for deformities, growth and survival among treatments fed taurine enriched Artemia nauplii compared to non-taurine enriched Artemia nauplii. Overall, increased dietary taurine during the rotifer and Artemia nauplii feeding period had no effect on deformities, benefited growth in some cases and improved survival in all trials, significantly so in trial two.
