Effects of temperature on the intensive culture performance of larval and juvenile North American burbot ( Lota lota maculosa )

• Published in: Aquaculture
• Main Authors: Barron, JM, Jensen, NR, Anders, PJ, Egan, JP, Ireland, SC, Cain, KD
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Science Bv 2012
• Subjects: Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences; Fisheries Sciences; Aquaculture; Burbot; Lota lota; lota
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2012.07.037; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/82900

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of temperature on growth and survival of larval andjuvenile burbot, Lota lota maculosa . Burbot aquaculture is developing primarily in response to declining wildstocks and a need to restore such populations. Beyond conservation efforts, there is also potential to culturethis species commercially. However, many important aspects of burbot culture remain unaddressed. In thisstudy larval and juvenile burbot were reared at three constant water temperatures (10, 15, and 20 C) in anintensive culture setting. Two 30 day trials were conducted during the larval life stage and one 60 day trialduring the juvenile life stage. In Trial 1, larval burbot (mean total lengthSD, 6.91.0 mm, approximately65 days post hatch) reared at 20 C grew the fastest, while growth was lowest in the 10 C treatment. Survivalwas inversely related to temperature, with the lowest average of 6.6% observed in larvae reared at 20 C. Thepercentage cannibalized was quantified and found to be positively correlated with water temperature, andreached 58.0% in larvae reared at 20 C. In Trial 2, as larvae approached metamorphosis (12.91.9 mm,approximately 100 days post hatch), growth was also highest in fish at 20 C and lowest in those at 10 C. Atthis stage survival was higher in fish at lower temperatures, but the percentage cannibalized appearedindependent of temperature, averaging over 50% in fish at all temperatures. In Trial 3, growth of juveniles(59.912.4 mm, approximately 205 days post hatch) reared at 15 and 20 C was not significantly different,yet both displayed significantly increased growth relative to juveniles reared at 10 C. Juveniles were fullytransitioned to a dry diet, and survival averaged >93% in all culture temperatures. The percentagecannibalized during this life stage averaged b5%, and was not affected by temperature. This studydemonstrated the importance of water temperature, as it clearly affects culture performance of larval andjuvenile burbot. Results from this study have implications for maximizing growth during larval and juvenilelife stages of this species, and provide a comparative, empirical framework for establishing conservation, orcommercial aquaculture programs for burbot.