Study on Growth Rates of Amphiprion clarkii Larvae Fed with Harpacticoid Copepods

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study larval growth of Clark’s anemonefish (Amphiprion clarkii) fed with harpacticoid copepods. After hatching, A. clarkii larvae were fed with 5 species of harpacticoid copepods (Tigriopus sirindhornae, T. thailandensis, T. japonicus, Paramphiascella choi and
Nitokra karanovici) as well as rotifers and were divided into 7 experimental groups. Experimental Group 1 was fed with T. sirindhornae, Group 2 with T. thailandensis, Group 3 with T. japonicus, Group 4 with Paramphiascella choi, Group 5 with Nitokra karanovici, Group 6 with 5 species of harpacticoid copepods (T. sirindhornae+T.thailandensis+T. japonicus+Paramphiascella choi +Nitokra karanovici) and Group 7 with Rotifers (Brachionus)+Artemia nauplii. In addition, each group of fish larvae was fed with rotifers as supplementary food from 10th to 45th days. The experimental Group 6 showed the best results with larval growth rate of 0.077 gm/ind./day, average length of 3.47 cm and average weight of 0.73 g; this was followed in  descending order by Groups 1, 3, 2, 5 and 4. Group 7 exhibited least satisfactory results, with larval growth rate of 0.052 cm/ind./day, average length of 2.36 cm and average weight of 0.25 g. This study indicated that harpacticoid copepods are suitable as live feeds for marine fish larviculture, while Brachionus and Artemia nauplii are also important as supplementary diets.