Water quality is crucial for conserving and culturing queen conch (Aliger gigas), native to Florida and the Caribbean region. Key parameters like temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, alkalinity, pH, and nutrients critically impact the development of queen conch veliger larvae and their microalgal food. Suboptimal conditions can hinder the growth and survival to metamorphic competency in aquaculture and affect proliferation of the microalgae cultures.
Consequently, it is crucial to create tools for quickly detecting if water conditions are suitable for queen conch aquaculture, especially during the larval stages. These tools include laboratory analyses for nutrients, heavy metals, and pollutants in water sources. Other methods such as growing microalgae for 4-7 days and growing conch veligers for at least 1 week or for three weeks to metamorphosis in various water sources can help identify potential issues with the water source.
Characterizing water quality is key for designing appropriate treatment systems. For example, Jamaica and Curacao hatcheries needed basic filtration to handle fine suspended particles that affect conch larval movement and normal development as well as algae culture growth. To stabilize production, especially in summer, hatchery locations like Grand Bahama, Great Exuma, and Jamaica use chillers and/or air conditioning to maintain optimal temperatures at 28 oC. More advanced systems, like Naguabo’s hatchery in Puerto Rico, employ comprehensive filtration for incoming seawater and stored water, including 100- to 1-micron filters, activated carbon, UV lights, and chillers (Fig. 1).
Understanding and managing these water quality parameters is vital for the success of microalgae culture growth and queen conch larval development, which contributes to the sustainability and efficiency of aquaculture practices used for restoration purposes of this species.