World Aquaculture Singapore 2022

November 29 - December 2, 2022

Singapore

HIGH MORTALITY AND SEVERE ABNORMALITY OF ASIAN SEABASS Lates calcarifer LARVAE REARED IN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND ACIDIFIED SEAWATER

Ching, F.F*., Mohammad, M.N.S., Cheong J. Z. D.*, Mohd Faudzi N., and

Senoo S.

 

Borneo Marine Research Institute

Universiti Malaysia Sabah

Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

cfuifui@ums.edu.my

 



Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) is an euryhaline aquaculture species and one of the most highly produced fish in Asian region. It is predicted that the oceans will warm and acidify simultaneously as a result of climate change and Asian seabass is particularly vulnerable to this danger. We examined the impact of both  elevated temperature and acidified seawater on well-beings of Asian seabass at early larval stage. Larvae were reared under different water temperature ranging from 28, 29, 30, 32 and 34oC and pH of 5.5, 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 respectively. Larvae reared at 34 oC were discovered dead in 15 days after hatching (dAH) while those reared in pH of 5.5, 6.0, and 6.5 all perished as early as 3 and 4 dAH. Even before the introduction of the first feeding, larvae reared in acidified seawater were severely harmed, resulting in body abnormalities and restricted growth as early as 2 dAH. More than 80% of larvae exhibited body deformities, mostly lordosis and scoliosis when reared in acidified seawater while none were found in elevated temperature. In contrast to other temperatures, cannibalism was shown to be more prevalent and intense when reared at 32 and 34 oC in which further worsen the survivorship of Asian seabass larvae. This study concluded both elevated temperature and acidified seawater adversely affect survival and well-beings of Asian seabass larvae.