Salinity Preference in Hatchery-Reared Juvenile Red Drum

• Published in: The Scientific World JOURNAL
• Main Authors: Parkyn, Daryl C., Murie, Debra J., Sherwood, Edward T.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: TheScientificWorldJOURNAL 2002
• Subjects: Short Communication; Red drum; Sciaenops ocellatus
• Online Access: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6009358/; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12805915; https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2002.347

Juvenile red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), reared in either 15- or 30-ppt salinity seawater, were tested to determine whether they develop preference for the salinity of the water in which they were cultured. In a two-choice test, large- and small-sized juvenile red drum chose the raceway that matched the seawater in which they were cultured over the other salinity. Additional large and small fish reared in either 15- or 30-ppt salinity water were also tested following a 4-h acclimation period that simulated the duration of transport time from the hatchery to a release site. These fish also showed preference for their original culture salinity. This observed salinity preference in juvenile red drum has implications with respect to movement or residency of hatchery-reared juvenile red drum out-planted into natural coastal systems.