Possibility of culturing Pacific goliath grouper Epinephelus quinquefasciatus in water with different salinities

Objective. To assess the survival and growth of juvenile Pacific goliath grouper (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus) in captivity at low salinities. Materials and methods. We randomly selected twelve juvenile goliath groupers with an average standard length of 44.2 ± 6.1 cm and 1492 ± 476 g in body weight, and raised them for three months in the laboratory in waters of 32-26, 20, 10 and 5 parts per thousand of salinity. Results. All juvenile Pacific goliath groupers tolerated the initial gradual transfer from full strength seawater to salinities of 32-26, 20, 10, and 5 parts per thousand, which was done over a period of four days. All of them survived and grew in body weight and length during the course of the three-month experiment, in all the treatments of high and low salinity water. The body condition factor (K) for each fish was between 1.5 and 2.4. Conclusions. This is a first time trial that documents a randomized, controlled experiment demonstrating the ability of Pacific juvenile goliath grouper to gradually transfer from full strength seawater to water of lower salinity, and survive and grow well in these brackish waters.Key words: Aquaculture, euryhaline species, osmoregulation, water salinity (Source: BNA, NAL)

Possibility of culturing Pacific goliath grouper Epinephelus quinquefasciatus in water with different salinities

Objective. To assess the survival and growth of juvenile Pacific goliath grouper (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus) in captivity at low salinities. Materials and methods. We randomly selected twelve juvenile goliath groupers with an average standard length of 44.2 ± 6.1 cm and 1492 ± 476 g in body weight, and raised them for three months in the laboratory in waters of 32-26, 20, 10 and 5 parts per thousand of salinity. Results. All juvenile Pacific goliath groupers tolerated the initial gradual transfer from full strength seawater to salinities of 32-26, 20, 10, and 5 parts per thousand, which was done over a period of four days. All of them survived and grew in body weight and length during the course of the three-month experiment, in all the treatments of high and low salinity water. The body condition factor (K) for each fish was between 1.5 and 2.4. Conclusions. This is a first time trial that documents a randomized, controlled experiment demonstrating the ability of Pacific juvenile goliath grouper to gradually transfer from full strength seawater to water of lower salinity, and survive and grow well in these brackish waters.Objetivo. Evaluar la supervivencia y crecimiento de mero guasa del Pacifico (Epinephelus quinquefasciatus) a bajas salinidades en cautiverio. Materiales y métodos. Se seleccionaron al azar doce juveniles de mero guasa de una longitud estándar promedio de 44.2 ± 6.1 cm y 1492 ± 476 g de peso corporal, que fueron criados por tres meses en el laboratorio en aguas de 32-26, 20, 10, y 5 unidades prácticas de salinidad (UPS). Resultados. Todos los juveniles de mero guasa toleraron la transferencia gradual, que se realizó en cuatro días, desde agua de mar a aguas con salinidades de 32-26, 20, 10, y 5 UPS. Igualmente todos sobrevivieron los tres meses, y presentaron ganancia en peso y longitud corporal en todos los tratamientos con niveles altos y bajos de salinidad. Los factores de condición corporal (K), para cada pez estuvieron entre 1.5 y 2.4. Conclusiones. Por primera vez se documenta un experimento de prueba aleatoria controlada; que demuestra la habilidad de juveniles de mero guasa del Pacífico, a poder adaptarse de agua marina a salinidades más bajas que las de su medio ambiente natural, y de crecer en ellas con total supervivencia