Does Addition of Perch Larvae as Prey Affect the Growth, Development and Cannibalism Rate of Pikeperch Larvae?
1
University of Lorraine, INRA, UR AFPA, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, F-54500 Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France
2
University of Rennes 1, EA 7462 G-TUBE, F-35042 Rennes, France
3
CNRS (National Centre for Scientific Research)—DR6, F-54500 Vandoeuvre les Nancy, France
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Fishes 2019, 4(1), 21; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes4010021
Received: 11 February 2019
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Revised: 11 March 2019
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Accepted: 12 March 2019
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Published: 18 March 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diversification of Aquaculture with New Fish Species)
Cannibalism occurs in many cultured fish species, especially at the larval and juvenile stages of piscivorous taxa. In farmed percid species, such as pikeperch (Sander lucioperca), intra-cohort cannibalism is a major issue inducing significant losses of the initial stocking density during the first weeks of rearing. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effects of perch larvae (Perca fluviatilis) as live prey on growth, survival and cannibalism in pikeperch larvae under experimental conditions. Additionally, zootechnical and behavioural variables linked to aggressiveness (S postures, attacks, bites and ingestion), and group structures were considered. The survival rate was not different between the two groups (72% with prey vs. 69% without prey), but the cannibalism rate was higher in the group with the prey (28% vs. 10%). The means of final weight and length of pikeperch larvae were higher in the group fed with perch larvae, but size heterogeneity measured by the coefficients of variation for these two parameters did not differ. The specific growth rate was higher in the group fed with perch larvae, but there was no difference between the two groups concerning Fulton’s condition factor. Among all the behavioural variables (aggressiveness, group structure), none differed between the two groups.
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Keywords:
cannibalism; aggressiveness; growth; size heterogeneity; forage prey; Sander lucioperca
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MDPI and ACS Style
Cortay, A.; Colchen, T.; Fontaine, P.; Pasquet, A. Does Addition of Perch Larvae as Prey Affect the Growth, Development and Cannibalism Rate of Pikeperch Larvae? Fishes 2019, 4, 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes4010021
AMA Style
Cortay A, Colchen T, Fontaine P, Pasquet A. Does Addition of Perch Larvae as Prey Affect the Growth, Development and Cannibalism Rate of Pikeperch Larvae? Fishes. 2019; 4(1):21. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes4010021
Chicago/Turabian StyleCortay, Aurore, Tatiana Colchen, Pascal Fontaine, and Alain Pasquet. 2019. "Does Addition of Perch Larvae as Prey Affect the Growth, Development and Cannibalism Rate of Pikeperch Larvae?" Fishes 4, no. 1: 21. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes4010021
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