Abalone culture

Conceptualized by SM Buen-Ursua (Abalone Project)

Improved reproductive performance of tiger tail seahorse, Hippocampus comes, by mysid shrimp fed singly or in combination with other natural food

The brood size, parturition frequency and parturition occurrence of tiger tail seahorse, Hippocampus comes were evaluated for 180 days using single and combined diets comprising Artemia salina, mysid shrimp Mesopodopsis orientalis and frozen Acetes sp. The daily food intake of seahorse was determined with the following treatments: T1-Artemia; T2-mysid; T3-Acetes; T4-Artemia + mysid; T5-Artemia + Acetes ; T6-mysid + Acetes; and T7-Artemia + mysid + Acetes. Percent body weight (% BW) of daily food intake until satiation was similar in Artemia, mysid and Artemia + Acetes (20-22 %), but significantly higher in mysid + Acetes, Artemia + mysid, and Artemia + mysid + Acetes with 25, 31 and 33 %, respectively (p < 0.05). Single diet of frozen Acetes was least consumed at 6 %. Thus, mysid was the preferred food of adult seahorses as a single or combined diet with Artemia and Acetes. Diet treatments with single mysid or combined with Artemia and Acetes have significantly higher brood size (223-292) than the other treatments (107-152) (p < 0.05). Significantly longer parturition interval (60 days) was observed in seahorses fed with Artemia than those fed with mysid or in combination with other natural food (13-26 days), but not significantly different to seahorses fed with Acetes and Artemia + Acetes (42-45 days). Parturition occurrence in seahorse fed with Artemia, Acetes and Artemia + Acetes (2.7-4.3) were the lowest, while Artemia + mysid and Artemia + mysid + Acetes have significantly higher occurrence followed by mysids + Acetes and mysid only (p < 0.05). Thus, the reproductive performance was improved when seahorses were fed with single or combined foods including mysid. Total lipid was positively correlated to brood size and parturition occurrence, while DHA:EPA ratio was negatively correlated to brood size and parturition occurrence.This study was funded by the Government of Japan Trust Fund (GOJ-TF) for Stock Enhancement Program entitled "Resource Enhancement of Internationally Threatened and Over-Exploited Species in Southeast Asia through Stock Release" (Budget code 5029-TRD-Br0710). This study was also supported in part by Asia-Africa Science Platform (AASP) Program(2011-2013 FY) and RONPAKU (Dissertation PhD) Program (2013-2015 FY, DOST-11322) from Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS)

Effects of UV-treated sea water, chlorinated sea water, and formalin-treated copepods on survival and growth of newborn seahorses, Hippocampus comes

Seed production of the seahorse Hippocampus comes was examined using different types of sea water (UV-treated, chlorinated, sand-filtered), and formalin-treated copepod Pseudodiaptomous sp. as a food organism. Growth and survival of newborn seahorses (8.9±0.0 mm stretched height, 0.004 g) were monitored until day 30 after birth. Growth (stretched height and weight) was significantly higher (p<0.05) in UV-treated sea water (41.4±0.5 mm, 0.23±0.00 g) than in chlorinated (33.8±1.4 mm, 0.16±0.00 g) or sand-filtered (32.8±0.1 mm, 0.16±0.00 g) sea water. Survival was significantly higher in UV-treated (65.6±1.1%) and chlorinated (62.2±4.0%) sea water than in sand-filtered sea water (41.1±1.1%). Survival of seahorses fed 30 ppm formalin-treated copepods (95.3±1.8%) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than of seahorses fed untreated copepods (78.7±5.5%) on day 8. On day 15 survival was 78.7±9.68% in seahorses fed formalin-treated copepods and 0% in those fed untreated copepods. By day 30, survival of seahorses fed formalin-treated copepods was 64.7±9.82%. On the day of the final comparison (day 10), there was no difference in size between groups. Thus, the present study demonstrates that survival and growth of newborn seahorses is significantly improved in UV-treated water, and survival is markedly maintained by treating food organisms in formalin.The authors thank the anonymous reviewer for helpful comments and suggestions for improving the manuscript. The authors also thank Rod Salvador Tibubos and Arnel Abaricio for their assistance in the maintenance of the seahorses. This study was funded by SEAFDEC/AQD under Study Code BR-02-F2007T, Contribution No. 2011-02, and by the Government of Japan Trust Fund (GOJ-TF) Stock Enhancement Program under the project title “Resource Enhancement of Internationally Threatened and Over-Exploited Species in Southeast Asia through Stock Release”

Stock enhancement of threatened species in Southeast Asia

cc-covered journal, non-SEAFDEC first authorNatural populations of global inshore fisheries are coming under heavy pressure, primarily due to overexploitation and habitat degradation. Stock enhancement of hatchery-reared seeds is perceived as an alternative strategy to enhance the regeneration process. The Aquaculture Department of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center in the Philippines has been implementing activities related to stock enhancement of donkey’s ear abalone (Haliotis asinina), mud crabs (Scylla spp.), giant clam (Tridacna gigas), seahorses (Hippocampus spp.). Seed production techniques for abalone including a diet tagging method were established and juvenile abalone were released and monitored in a marine protected area. Mud crabs conditioned before release had higher recapture rates compared to the non-conditioned crabs, which can be translated to higher survivorship. Giant clams stocked at 8-10 cm shell length have higher survival 4 mo after stocking (90%), with initial mortalities occurring within the first few days due to transportation stress. Seed production trials for seahorse have begun.SEAFDEC/AQD, Japanese Trust Fund (GOJ-TF), International Foundation of Science, Swede, Philippine Governmen