Abstract

The red snapper Lutjanus campechanus is a reef fish of major economic importance in the southeastern United States. Red snapper aquaculture is being investigated both for stock enhancement, as a tool for rebuilding wild stocks, and for commercial production motivated by the high demand and high market value for this species. A major limitation to red snapper aquaculture is the difficulty associated with the rearing of early larval stages. Red snapper larvae require copepod nauplii as an initial essential feed for a significant portion of the larval rearing period although large scale production of copepods, as would be required to meet the needs of commercial aquaculture or stock enhancement, is not feasible. Reducing the dependency on copepods would thus greatly enhance red snapper aquaculture. The present research aims to understand the nutritional requirements and digestive capacity of red snapper larvae in order to support development of feeding protocols and, in particular, the identification of potential alternative feeds to copepods. The ontogeny of the digestive system is being described using histology and measurements of the activity of digestive enzymes performed on larvae sampled at different staged of development from hatching to the end of the larval period. Preliminary results indicate a slow growth of larvae during the first 12 days post hatch. Gastric glands, indicating acquisition of stomach functionality, were first observed in 18 day old larvae using histology. Further research in progress includes analysis of the proximate composition of red snapper eggs and larvae and that of live feeds

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