Effects of salinity on the hatching rate, growth, and survival in larval rearing of Percula clownfish Amphiprionpercula

Adaptability to the water salinity is an important consideration in aquaculture. Salinity is known to affect the physiology of fish, feed intake and growth performance. Until now, the effects of salinity in the culture of ornamental fish   not been widely studied. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of salinity on hatching rate, growth, survival, and the growth of bacteria in A. percula larval rearing. The treatments tested were salinity of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 ppt at hatching, and salinity of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 ppt in larval rearing.

The results showed that the eggs could hatch in the range salinity of 10- 35 ppt, but could not hatch at a salinity of 40 ppt. At the end of the study, the best growth was resulted in salinity of 30 ppt (seawater) indicated by the total length of the larvae that was reached 10.15 ± 0.12 mm. The total length at the lowest salinity (10 ppt) was low, 8.95 ± 0.58 mm. The better survival was obtained in salinity of 25, 20 and 15 ppt, respectively accounted for 54.65 ± 7.12%; 48.97 ± 16.52%; and 47.56 ± 19.2%. While survival in salinity of 10, 30, and 35 ppt were only 23.45 ± 0.58%; 22.3 ± 11.62% and 29.19 ± 10.34%, respectively. Next, the results indicated that salinity of 10 and 15 ppt could eliminate the growth of Vibrio, which is known as pathogenic bacteria. The conclusion of this study is that hatching and larval rearing of A. percula can be done in the range salinity of 10 - 35 ppt. These results suggested that salinity 10 - 35 ppt were not significantly effects the physiological process in the A. percula larvae, and low salinity decreases the growth of Vibrio.