THE EFFECTS OF BROODSTOCK PARAMETERS ON THE SPAWNING BEHAVIOR OF THE CLEANER WRASSE Labroides dimidiatus

The bluestreak cleaner wrasse Labroides dimidiatus is native to the Indo-Pacific region and is the 13th most common marine aquarium fish imported into the United States annually. Cleaner wrasses are called the "doctors of the sea", as their cleaning behaviors decrease the overall load of ectoparasites on reef fishes. The removal of L. dimidiatus from reefs can have a detrimental impact on the reefs they inhabit, through decreased diversity and increased ectoparasite levels burdening reef fish. Given this, the number of L. dimidiatus taken for use in the marine aquarium trade can greatly influence the reef ecosystem as a whole, and with a lack of commercially available captive-raised individuals, this impact is amplified. Previously, only one successful attempt to culture the species has been recorded.

The objective of this research is to determine the ideal environmental conditions for L. dimidiatus to spawn in captivity. In an ongoing effort to characterize and optimize their spawning, experiments were conducted to determine the effects of tank height on spawn quantity and quality. Seven broodstock pairs were kept in two tank types, a 100 cm high "tall" enclosure, and a 52 cm high "short" enclosure. Spawns were collected daily, and the eggs were counted and analyzed for egg diameter (mm), oil globule diameter (mm), and percent viability (neurula stage) at 16 hours post spawn. Although preliminary results illustrate no difference in egg quantity between the two tank treatment types, ongoing data collection will determine any differences in the remaining egg quality parameters. Additionally, experiments are being conducted on the effects of the presence of client fish on spawns, as well as a replication of the tank size experiment. This effort to procure consistently high quantity and quality spawns from broodstock pairs of L. dimidiatus, in addition to obtaining spawns in high frequency, is a precursor to the sustainable commercial aquaculture of the species.