Effects of starvation on growth, survival and feeding incidence of tiger puffer(Takifugu rubripes)larvae

초록

The influence of starvation on survival, growth and feeding incidence of larvae of puffer Takifugu rubripes was investigated for the 16 days after hatching at the temperature of 16.5-18.5. The effect of delayed initial feeding on larvae was also studied. Almost all larvae began to feed after the stage of yolk absorption about 5 days after hatching, in which rearing trials revealed that survival and growth of larvae were influenced by food availability. Survival of unfed larvae, which started to decrease drastically after the exhaustion of oil globule about 9 days after hatching, dropped to 50% and 0% respectively at 11.5 and 16 days. Growth of unfed larvae began to be different from that of fed larvae about 5 days after hatching when the initial feeding started, and has decreased in propertional to the starvation period.