Growth and survival of Juvenile Gulf Killifish Fundulus grandis in recirculating aquaculture systems

Abstract

Gulf Killifish Fundulus grandis is one of the largest killifish species. It is a euryhaline teleost and a popular baitfish occurring along the coastal Gulf ofMexico and southern Atlantic states. There is currently limited information on the grow-out characteristics of killifish in indoor recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). This preliminary study aims at determining the effects of stocking density on the growth and survival of juvenile Gulf Killifish in indoor RAS. Individuals of 0.45 ± 0.01 g (mean ± SE) weight were stocked at initial densities of 2 and 5 fish/L in 60-L tanks in RAS with four replicates each.After 82 d of culture, difference in growth at these densities was not significant (P>0.629).Mean survival and gross and net yields differed by stocking density. Survival (94.6%) in the lowest density was significantly high (ANOVA: P < 0.01) compared with survival (83.9%) in the highest density. Gross and net yields were significantly high (ANOVA: P < 0.01) at the 5 fish/L stocking densities. Compared with the traditional pond system, the use of RAS in this preliminary study enabled stocking of killifish at very high densities. However, cultured fish grew relatively slow in RAS compared with pond culture and did not reach market size (≈3.3 g). © American Fisheries Society 2013.