Out of Season Artificial Propagation of The Black Scorpionfish (Scorpaena Porcus L.) in Captivity

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 University of Pannonia, Georgikon Faculty of Agriculture, H-8361 Keszthely, Hungary.

2 University of Pannonia, Georgikon Faculty of Agriculture, H-8361 Keszthely, Hungary

Abstract

Successful artificial propagation of black scorpionfish (Scorpaena porcus), in captivity is reported for the first time. Broodfish were collected from the Adriatic Sea after the natural spawning season. Maturation stage of the gonads was determined using histological analysis. Broodfish were kept in two 700-L aquaria within a recirculation system and held under controlled conditions. Fish were stimulated to reach pre-ovulatory stage by weekly IP injections of common carp pituitary at 3mg.kg-1 and the speciments showing soft and swollen abdomen were induced to ovulate by 6mg.kg-1 CP. Frequency of ovulation and pGSI of the females were recorded. The mean pseudo gonado-somatic index (pGSI) reached 29% and the average egg number per stripping ranged 5-6000. The dry fertilisation method proved to be more efficient than the wet method. Fertilised eggs, which floated on the water surface in gelatinous mass, were incubated in a fine net cage. Fry hatched out 53-59 hours post-fertilisation and began exogenous feeding three days after hatching at 20°C. This method could be adapted to the largescaled scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa L.), an endangered close relative, which is a commercially valuable candidate species for marine aquaculture.

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