Effects of Stocking Density on Growth, Survival, and Stress Physiology of Pigfish

AbstractStocking density is an important consideration in the intensive commercial production of fishes. Decreased growth and survival may result from overcrowding in the culture environment, while understocking may lead to inefficient use of resources. The Pigfish Orthopristis chrysoptera is a marine baitfish species with great potential for commercial production in the southeastern United States. To date, no studies have assessed the effect of culture density on Pigfish in recirculating aquaculture systems. Thus, we conducted two experiments to evaluate the effect of stocking density on Pigfish growth, survival, and stress physiology. The small-scale trial included three densities—0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 fish/L (0.94, 2.82, and 4.70 kg/m3)—evaluated over the course of a 65-d growth period. The large-scale experiment encompassed four lower stocking densities—0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 fish/L (0.10, 0.19, 0.38, and 0.76 kg/m3)—investigated over a 50-d growth period. Growth, survival, specific growth rate, and feed...

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