Effect of water treatment and aeration on the percentage hatch of demersal, adhesive eggs of the bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus)

Citation

Komar C, Turnbull J, Roque A, Fajer-Avila EJ & Duncan NJ (2004) Effect of water treatment and aeration on the percentage hatch of demersal, adhesive eggs of the bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus). Aquaculture, 229 (1-4), pp. 147-158. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0044-8486%2803%2900367-3

Abstract
The bullseye puffer (Sphoeroides annulatus) is a species with potential for aquaculture. However, preliminary studies on the biology and reproduction of the species in captivity have failed to produce consistent success at hatching. In this study, the effect of aeration and water treatment (filtration and ultraviolet (UV) sterilisation) on percentage hatch was assessed in a replicated experiment repeated on two occasions. Four treatments were used, filtered water (5 μm) treated with UV, in an aerated system (AT) and a static system (ST); water that had been coarse-filtered (20 μm) and not exposed to UV kept in aerated system (ANT) and a static system (SNT). The percentage hatch was ranked 87.5±5.0>80.6±9.4>77.2±12.8>62.8±10.4 (mean of all replicates from both experiments±S.D.) for the respective treatments AT>ST>ANT>SNT. However, percentage hatch for AT was only significantly (P<0.05) higher than ANT and SNT, while hatch for ST was only significantly higher (P<0.05) than SNT. A GLM analysis showed the use of treated water (filtered and UV treated) in the incubators and aeration had a significant positive effect on percentage hatch. These effects were additive with no significant positive or negative interaction. There was no significant differences in bacterial counts among treatments (AT, ANT, ST, SNT), but significant differences (P<0.05) were observed among days. There was no significant interaction between days and treatments to affect bacterial counts. There was no correlation between bacterial counts and percentage hatch. The water treatments significantly improved percentage hatch, but did not affect bacterial counts. This paper reports an incubation system that consistently resulted in more than 80% successful hatching for bullseye puffer eggs. These results should help to improve the hatching success of this species and possibly others with demersal adhesive eggs.

Keywords
Puffer fish; Sphoeroides annulatus; Egg incubation; Hatching

Journal
Aquaculture: Volume 229, Issue 1-4