Production Characteristics of Striped Bass × White Bass and Striped Bass × Yellow Bass Hybrids

The potential for commercial culture of hybrid striped bass is promising in many areas of the United States. While several different striped bass hybrids are candidates for culture, differential performance has not been thoroughly evaluated. Comparative performance of two striped bass hybrids was evaluated in six, 757–1, fiberglass tanks receiving a continuous flow of ambient pond water for 397 d. Three replicate tanks were stocked with 50 fingerlings (66 fish/m³) of either striped bass female × white bass male (mean weight 23 g) or striped bass female × yellow bass male hybrids. Fish were fed a 35% protein ration throughout the study, and weight was recorded for all fish at stocking and at 21-d intervals. White bass hybrids grew significantly faster (0.94 g/d) than yellow bass hybrids (0.59 g/d). Survival to harvest averaged 65% and 44% for yellow bass and white bass hybrids, respectively. A significant difference from the expected 1:1 sex ratio occurred for yellow bass hybrids (100% female), but not for white bass hybrids (56% female). Mean condition factor, 1.63 and 1.39, and fillet percentage, 30.7% and 28.4%, was significantly higher for white bass hybrids compared to yellow bass hybrids.     

A Comparative Study of the Dietary Lysine Requirement of Juvenile Striped bass Morone saxatilis and Sunshine bass M. chrysops x M. saxatilis

Previous reports have indicated there are significant differences in both the dietary lysine requirement and the metabolic rate of striped bass and its hybrids. However, there is very little directly comparative data to confirm these suggestions. A series of experiments was conducted to comparatively assess efficiency of protein and energy retention between striped bass Morone saxatilis and sunshine bass M. chrysops♀×M. saxatilis♂ grown under identical culture conditions. In experiment one, a dose response study was conducted using digestible energy (DE) levels of 3,200 kcal/kg and 3,600 kcal/kg. At each level of DE, six levels of dietary lysine were fed to striped bass and sunshine bass. Ten sunshine bass weighing 3.48 ± 0.08 g or six striped bass weighing 3.23 ± 0.14 g were stocked into 15-L tanks supplied with single-pass flow-through fresh water. After 12 wk on the experimental regime, feed conversion ratios (FCR), weight gain, and % nitrogen (N) retention were determined. Nonlinear regression analysis indicated that the dietary lysine requirement of both bass groups was similar. The dietary lysine requirement was determined to be 2.0 ± 0.08% of dry diet (or 6.0 ± 0.26 g lysine/1,000 kcal DE), and 1.7 ± 0.08% of dry diet (or 4.7 ± 0.22 g lysine/1,000 kcal DE), for the 3,200 and 3,600 kcal DE/kg diets, respectively. A second experiment comparatively assessed growth, metabolism, and energy partitioning between striped bass and sunshine bass. Two diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric with a calculated DE level of 3462 kcal/kg and contained lysine concentrations approximating the published dietary requirements of sunshine bass (low lysine = LL diet) and striped bass (high lysine = HL diet). The diets were fed at an average rate of 2% of body weight/d to 25 juvenile striped bass or hybrid bass held separately in eight 2000-L single-pass flow-through tanks supplied with freshwater. In general, growth performance of sunshine bass was superior to striped bass. Both bass groups performed better when fed the HL diet. Mean FCRs were 1.19 ± 0.12 and 1.94 ± 0.29, respectively, for hybrids and striped bass fed the LL diet (P= 0.066); and 1.17 ± 0.07, and 1-58 ± 0.08, respectively, for hybrids and striped bass fed the HL diet (P = 0.011). Mean % gain/d values were significantly higher (P= 0.001) for hybrids (2.77 ± 0.85) than for striped bass (1-30 ± 0.27) when fed the LL diet. When fed the HL diet, mean % gain/d was significantly higher (P = 0.003) for sunshine bass (2.72 ± 0.83) compared to striped bass (1.51 ± 0.25). Additionally, when fed the HL diet, sunshine bass had significantly higher percent nitrogen (P= 0.006) and energy retention (P= 0.014) when compared to striped bass. These results further document that sunshine bass are more efficient at protein and energy retention compared to striped bass in freshwater.     

Effect of Stocking Rate on Growing Juvenile Sunshine Bass,Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis,in an Outdoor Biofloc Production System

The biofloc technology production system is a production‐intensifying management strategy used primarily for culturing tilapia and penaeid shrimp, both of which can consume the biofloc. Other fish can be grown in biofloc systems because the biofloc serves to maintain water quality, metabolizing the ammonia excreted by intensively fed fish. A dose–response study was conducted in an outdoor biofloc system to begin quantifying the stocking rate production function for sunshine bass, Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis, advanced fingerlings. Sunshine bass (2.9 ± 0.2 g/fish) were stocked into tanks at 50–250 fish/m² in 50 fish/m² increments. After 94 d, gross yields ranged from 1.4 to 3.1 kg/m³ and were independent of stocking rate. Harvested fish were separated into two size groups: smaller than 115 mm total length (TL, target fish) and larger than 115 mm TL (jumper fish). Target fish increased linearly from 62 to 93% and jumpers decreased linearly from 38 to 7% of the population, respectively, as stocking rate increased. The outdoor biofloc system offers potential for intensifying the production of advanced sunshine bass fingerlings, but feed consumption appeared to be impeded by high total suspended solids concentrations. Further research is needed to optimize stocking rates and solids management.     

Comparison of Purified and Practical Diets Supplemented with or without β-Glucan and Selenium on Resistance of Hybrid Striped Bass Morone chrysops ♀× M. saxatilis ♂ to Streptococcus iniae Infection

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of β-glucan and selenium supplements to the diet on increasing survival of hybrid striped bass Morone chrysops X M. saxatilis exposed to Streptococcus iniae. A 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design was employed by including purified casein/gelatin-based diets and practical menhaden fish meal-based diets with supplement! of either β-glucan from barley at 0 and 0.1 % of diet or sodium selenite at 0 or 0.2 mg/kg diet or a combination of these supplements. All diets were formulated to meet the nutritional needs of hybrid striped bass with the exception of selenium. The purified and practical basal diets contained 0.03 and 1.03 mg Se/kg, respectively, and the diets supplemented with sodium selenite had an additional 0.07 mg Se/kg on average. Juvenile hybrid striped bass initially averaging 2.44 ± 0.17 g/fish were fed the eight experimental diets in triplicate 110-L recirculating aquaria for 6 wk, after which they were immersed in a bath of S. iniae at 6.2 × 10⁶ CFU/mL for 2 h and monitored for 21 d. Weighi gain and feed efficiency were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by diet type and selenium supplementation, with fish fed practical diets and those supplemented with selenium having the greatest values. Supplementation of β-glucan to the purified or practical type diets did not significantly affect survival of fish after experimental infection. The most notable difference (P < 0.0001) was in the comparison of diet type; the survival rate of fish fed the practical diets was 75% compared to 35% for those fed the purified diets. Dietary supplementation of β-glucan did not enhance disease resistance in the present study. Fish fed menhaden fish meal-based diets were significantly more resistant to 5. iniae in comparison to the those fed the purified diets. Thus, nutritional influences on disease resistance of hybrid striped bass were evident in this study and warrant further investigation.     

Commercial Diets in Phase I Palmetto Bass,Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops,Production in Plastic‐lined Ponds: Fertilizer or Feed?

The role of offering a commercial pelleted diet has been characterized as both an expensive organic fertilizer and as a selected food item for larval hybrid striped bass (palmetto), Morone saxatilis × Morone chrysops, culture operations. In this study, we examined the effects of providing a commercial diet on fish production and zooplankton dynamics during phase I culture in plastic‐lined ponds. We also sought to estimate relative dietary contribution of a commercial fish feed relative to natural pond biota using stable isotope tissue analysis. Palmetto bass were stocked into six 0.04‐ha plastic‐lined ponds at a rate of 125,000/ha. During the 31‐d culture period, ponds were fertilized with alfalfa pellets at a rate of 112 kg/ha/wk. At 14 d post‐stock (dps), Silver Cup Trout Fry diet was offered at a rate of 13.6 kg/ha/d and fertilization was discontinued in three ponds. Although mean final fish length was significantly greater within the fed treatment, no other production parameters were found to be different (P < 0.1). Following feed application, copepod concentrations within the fed ponds were greater in magnitude by 24 dps. Through stable isotope tissue analysis, we found a significant enrichment in both ¹³C and ¹⁵ν of fish, zooplankton, and Chironomidae larvae within the fed ponds (P < 0.10). Using a three‐source mixing model, the mean (±SE) percent composition of feed in the fish's isotopic signature increased from 5% ±2 to 20% ±6 within 16 d. Although fish production was not greatly affected through the addition of a commercial fish feed, enriched ¹³C and ¹⁵ν of fish tissue indicate that palmetto bass fingerlings increasingly utilized the prepared diets over time. However, based on the isotopic values of fish and potential food sources, it can be estimated that natural pond biota likely accounted for up to 80% of nutrient assimilation in the hybrid striped bass.     

Trophic dynamics of a reservoir fishery following an introduction of a top predator: Insights from stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes

Trophic dynamics and conceptual niche spaces of top piscivores were assessed using stable isotope analysis following the introduction of hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis (Walbaum) × Morone chrysops (Rafinesque) into an established reservoir fishery devoid of gizzard shad, Dorosoma cepedianum (Lasueur). Hybrid striped bass were initially stocked into Three Mile Lake, Iowa as an attempt to biologically control pervasive yellow bass, Morone mississippiensis Jordan & Eigenmann, populations. From the analyses, it concluded that hybrid striped bass predominately targeted prey fish located in the littoral habitats of the reservoir and did not selectively consume yellow bass as intended. Bayesian isotope mixing models described the diets of hybrid striped bass to include a variety of prey fish, predominantly consisting of young bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and yellow bass. Food resource overlap among hybrid striped bass, largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides Lacépède, and walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), appeared substantial based on the isotopic niche overlap model. Results from this case study, in conjunction with the hindsight that yellow bass populations became prolific even with stockings of hybrid striped bass, suggest that their use to control yellow bass populations may not be a viable management strategy in southern Iowa.     

Growth of sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) in marine net-pens

Sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) were reared in 1.6 × 2.0 × 1.2 m deep net-pens for 36 months using low-cost, locally available diets (frozen salmon and herring). Post-capture mortality, wound repair, and adaptability to floating net-pens were investigated. Results showed no mortality directly related to capture and rapid healing of wounds resulting from capture. All fish adapted to captivity without apparent difficulty.For grow-out trials, 36 age 1+ fish were tagged for individual identification. Male and female fish were identified using an immunodiffusion technique. Net-pen adaptability studies tested three diets. Maximum observed mean weight gains were 0.10 kg per fish per month. After 2 years, there was no significant difference in growth (length or weight) between any of the diets. A different weight gain was recorded between male and female fish fed the salmon diet.     

Quantitative dietary lysine requirement of juvenile striped bass Morone saxatilis

Two feeding trials of 8 and 10 weeks each were conducted to quantify the dietary lysine requirement of juvenile striped bass, Morone saxatilis. Diets in both experiments contained approximately 420 g crude protein kg^–1 and 13.4 MJ digestible energy (DE) kg^?1. L ‐Lysine‐HCl was added to the basal diet to yield five and six treatments in the two experiments. Diets in the first experiment were determined to contain 9.2, 14.1, 14.6, 19.9 and 21.0 g available lysine kg^?1 on a dry‐matter basis. Diets in the second experiment were determined to contain 14.8, 18.1, 21.3, 24.5, 27.6 and 30.9 g available lysine kg^?1 on a dry‐matter basis. Weight gain, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion ratio (FCR), and apparent nitrogen utilization (ANU) were significantly (P < 0.05) improved by increasing dietary lysine concentrations to approximately 20 g kg^?1 of diet. Least‐squares regression analysis of weight gain and SGR in the first experiment indicated a minimum dietary lysine requirement of 20.1 ± 2 g kg^?1 dry diet. Least‐squares regression analysis of the same criteria measured in the second experiment yielded the following estimates of dietary lysine requirements (g kg^?1 dry diet): 19.8 ± 2.3 for weight gain, 21.7 ± 1.5 for SGR, 23.7 ± 3.5 for FCR and 18.6 ± 1.3 for ANU. From these results the minimum recommended dietary lysine requirement for optimal growth of juvenile striped bass is approximately 21 g kg^?1 dry diet which equates to 49 g kg^?1 dietary protein or 1.57 mg kJ^?1 DE. Although higher than that reported for hybrid striped bass, this requirement level is similar to those reported for many other fish species.     

Tank culture of larval sunshine bass, Morone chrysops (Rafinesque)×M. saxatilis (Walbaum), at three feeding levels

Sunshine bass, a hybrid of female white bass Morone chrysops (Rafinesque) and male striped bass M. saxatilis (Walbaum), fingerling production occurs almost exclusively in ponds. To increase production and maintain year‐round production in temperate climates, indoor tank culture is required. While tank production of fingerlings has been demonstrated, little is known about feeding requirements. Sunshine bass larvae, stocked at 75 L^?1 in 100 L of brackish water, were fed sequentially with rotifers Brachionus plicatilis cultured with a Nannochloropis algae paste and enriched with highly unsaturated fatty acids, decapsulated Artemia nauplii, and a microencapsulated commercial diet. The larvae in one treatment (three replicates) were initially fed rotifers at a daily rate of 20 mL^?1, then nauplii at an initial rate of 2 mL^?1, and then the commercial diet at 1 g. Larvae in two other treatments received two and three times as much food daily. The highest feeding rate resulted in a survival (52.9%) that was significantly higher than the survival rate (22.4%) of larvae fed the least. The total biomass produced was the highest in the treatment receiving the most food. The lowest feeding rate produced the least fish, but they were the heaviest. The intermediate feeding rate produced the shortest fish (11.3 mm).     

Performance of Domesticated Striped Bass Morone saxatilis, Palmetto Bass and Backcross Hybrid Striped Bass (Sunshine Bass ♀× Striped Bass ♂) Raised in a Tank Culture System

Abstract— Grow-out performance of striped bass Morone saxatilis , palmetto bass ( M. saxatilis ♀ × M. chrysops ♂ ) and backcross hybrids [sunshine bass ♀( M. chtysops ♀ × M. saxatilis ♂) × M. saxatilis ♂] was examined in a two-part study. During part I fish (mean weight = 20.1 g) were stocked at a density of 56 fish/m³ in 1.8-m³ cylindrical fiberglass tanks connected to a central biological filter. Fish were fed a 38% protein trout ration daily and the study duration was 273 d. At harvest, no differences ( P > 0.05) in mean weight or feed conversion were detected among the fish types. However, there were differences in specific growth, with the striped bass having a significantly higher growth rate than the palmetto bass and the backcross hybrids being intermediate. The condition factor (K) for striped bass was also significantly lower (1.2) than that recorded for either of the other two groups. In addition, survival of striped bass (91%) was significantly higher than that of backcross hybrids (74%), while survival of palmetto bass (87%) was intermediate. The survival of backcross hybrids was adversely impacted by an infestation of the dinoflagellate Amyloodinium sp . During part II stocking density in each tank was reduced to 19 fish/m³. The study lasted 104 d. At harvest, no differences were detected in weight, survival, or feed conversion. However, there were significant differences in specific growth, length and K. Striped bass and backcross hybrids gained weight faster than palmetto bass. Length and K were inversely related with all groups being significantly different. Striped bass had the largest TL and the lowest K while, palmetto bass were the shortest with the highest K.     

Experiments for the production of hybrid striped bass in in-pond circulation systems

Experiments for the production of hybrid striped bass (HSB) in in-pond circulation systems (IPCS) were carried out in 2003 and 2004. The circulation system consisted of two channels with a productive volume of 8.5 cubic meters each. The tanks were installed tightly in a pond, which served for the biological cleaning of the expiry water. In the first year HSB fingerlings with an average weight of 46.4 g were produced. The average yield in the basin was 51.2 kg/m³. The survival rate from stocked 0.44 g advanced fry was 97.8%. The food conversion was 1.16. In 2004 two-year-old HSB were reared in the same IPCS. The tanks were stocked at two different stocking densities, 122 and 244 fingerlings/m³ with a mean weight of 36.5 g. In the tank with the larger stocking density, the yield was almost exactly twice as high as in the other tank (50.0 resp. 24.8 kg), which corresponded to a stocking density of 59.1 or 29.3 kg/m³ at the end of the rearing season. The stocking density had no influence on the increase of the individual body weight. Obviously HSB can therefore still be reared at higher stocking densities.     

Effects of addition of a bird repellent to fish diets on their growth and bioaccumulation

The effects of adding the nonlethal bird repellent methyl anthranilate (MA), at levels of 100 and 1000 mg kg^?1, to fish feed on the bioaccumulation and growth of juvenile (10 g) hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops×M. saxatilis) and juvenile (1 g) African cichlid fish Aulonocara jacobfreibergi were investigated under laboratory conditions. The bird repellent did not have any effect on the fish growth or survival over a period of 6 weeks. MA residues at low levels of 11.2±2.6 μg g^?1 were found in lipophilic tissues (liver) of MA‐fed fish. Control fish, which had no MA added to their diet, had a much lower level of 0.6±0.3 μg g^?1 MA in their liver. Fish muscle was found to contain negligible MA residues, while the outer body surface mucus did not contain any MA. Following a 6‐week depuration period, during which the previously MA‐fed hybrid striped bass were fed a feed to which no MA was added, the levels of MA residues detected were reduced by one order of magnitude.     

New production strategy for silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus); over‐wintering fingerlings in a tank‐based recirculating aquaculture system

Slow growth and losses to bird predation and infectious diseases in winter can compromise the profitability of silver perch farming. To evaluate over‐wintering silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus) in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS), fingerlings (38 g) were stocked in either cages in a pond at ambient temperatures (10–21 °C) or tanks in the RAS at elevated temperatures (19–25 °C) and cultured for 125 days. Mean survival (96%), final weight (146 g), specific growth rate (1.07% day^?1) and production rate (28.1 kg m^?3) of fish in the RAS were significantly higher than for fish over‐wintered in cages (77%, 73 g, 0.53% day^?1, 11.1 kg m^?3). Fish from both treatments were then reared in cages for a further 129 days. Final mean weight of fish originally over‐wintered in the RAS was 426 g, while fish over‐wintered in cages were only 273 g. To determine optimal stocking densities, fingerlings (11.8 g) were stocked at 500, 1000 or 1500 fish m^?3 in tanks in the RAS and cultured for 124 days. Survival was not affected, but growth was significantly slower and feed conversion ratio higher at 1500 fish m^?3 compared with 500 or 1000 fish m^?3. Results demonstrate that over‐wintering silver perch in an RAS can produce large fingerlings for grow‐out in early spring. This strategy could eliminate bird predation, reduce losses to diseases and shorten the overall culture period.     

Increased Growth and Production of Striped Bass × White Bass Hybrids in Earthen Ponds

Four 0.1 hectare earthen ponds were stocked with 16,500 hybrid striped bass (female Morone saxatilis × male M. chrysops ) per hectare on 22 June 1982. Mean weight at stocking was 5.2 g ± 0.10 SE. Fish were fed to satiation two or three times daily with a dry commercial salmonid diet, and the ponds were aerated mechanically during periods of low dissolved oxygen during warm weather. Survival at harvest on 6 March 1983 averaged 84.7%, and mean weight of the fish was 170.2 g ± 2.66 SE. Average weights of fish from individual ponds ranged from 149.0 to 189.7 g. The ponds were restocked on 1 April 1983 with 10,000 fish per hectare averaging 193.6 g. Ten months later, average survival in 3 ponds was 83.9% (range, 81.3–87.0%) and mean weight was 656.3 g ± 5.51 SE. Average weights of fish from individual ponds ranged from 632.5 to 690.7 g. All fish in one pond died in June as a result of an aerator failure. Standing crop at harvest in the three remaining ponds averaged 5, 504 kg/ha (range, 5,247–5,765 kg/ha). Improvements in culture techniques resulted in approximately a 138% increase in production per hectare over that reported in a prior study. Results demonstrated that hybrid striped bass offer considerable potential for commercial aquaculture in warm temperate latitudes of the United States.     

Growth performance of hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis) fed with commercial pike perch and trout diets

Two commercial trout diets (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and one commercial pike perch diet (Sander lucioperca) were fed to hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops × M. saxatilis) (mean initial weight ± SD of 60.7 g ± 12.1; mean initial length SD of 17.2 cm ± 1.1) for 69 days at rations of approximately 1% average body weight. While final body weight (FBW), final length (FBL) and condition factor (Cf) were not significantly influenced by diets, specific growth rate (SGR) in hybrid striped bass fed with the pike perch diet (1.15) was significantly higher than those fed with either of the two trout diets (1.04 and 1.07). The feed conversion ratio (FCR) in hybrid striped bass fed with the pike perch diet (1.0) was significantly lower than the FCR in hybrid striped bass fed with either of the two trout diets (1.1 and 1.2). When hybrid striped bass (mean initial body weight: 65.7 ± 4.5 and 127.7 ± 2.9 g) were fed with the pike perch diet twice per day until satiation for 52 days, the SGR was 1.7 and 1.15% d^?1 in fishes with an average body weight of 116 and 183 g, respectively. Present results demonstrate that growth performance in hybrid striped bass can be improved when fishes are fed with commercial pike perch diets rather than using commercial trout diets as is the current practice.

     

Cage Culture of Hybrid Striped Bass in Indiana and Evaluation of Diets Containing Three Levels of Dietary Protein1

Culture of hybrid striped bass Morone saxatilis × M. chrysops has been increasing in selected regions of the United States. Because of their thermal tolerance, hybrids may have potential as a new commercial aquaculture species in the Midwest. In these studies, hybrid striped bass were reared in cages located in southern, central and northern Indiana and offered one of three practical diets. Diets contained either 32, 36 or 40% crude protein. Additionally, a preliminary 8 wk laboratory experiment was conducted in which fish were offered the same diets. All diets were formulated to meet the established dietary lysine requirement; optimal levels of other essential amino acids in the diet were predicted by the whole-body essential amino acid profile of hybrid striped bass. In the laboratory experiment, weight gain of fish fed 36% crude protein was significantly higher than those fed either other level of dietary protein. After 205 days, final average weight gains of fish in the field experiment were not significantly different and ranged from 233 to 426 g with an overall average daily gain of 1.6 g/fish/d. Overall survival was 89.1%. Dress-out percentages were 81.2, 69.8, and 34.9% for eviscerated, eviscerated and headed, and fillets, respectively. Those values were not significantly different among dietary treatments or sites. Lipid content of fillets from fish fed 32% dietary crude protein was significantly higher than in fish fed 36 or 40% crude protein.     

Pond‐raised Hybrid Catfish, ♀ Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Ictalurus furcatus,Do Not Respond to Microbial Phytase Superdosing

Two experiments were conducted in consecutive years to evaluate the responses of hybrid catfish, ♀ Ictalurus punctatus × ♂ Ictalurus furcatus, to “superdosing” of 6‐phytase added to existing commercial catfish feeds. In each experiment, two diets with or without a phytase superdose (2500 and 5000 phytase units/kg, respectively) were compared. In Experiment 1, fingerlings (mean weight: 59 g/fish) were stocked in 17 0.4‐ha earthen ponds at 17,290 fish/ha and were fed once daily to apparent satiation for 198 d. In Experiment 2, fingerlings (mean weight: 47 g/fish) were stocked in 10 0.4‐ha ponds at 24,710 fish/ha and were fed for 128 d. In both experiments, there were no significant differences in total feed fed, gross yield, final fish weight, survival, or Blood packed cell volume between fish fed diets with or without phytase. The diets also had no significant effects on pond water column total phosphorus or chlorophyll a concentrations, but soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations were significantly higher in ponds receiving the phytase diet in Experiment 2. Phytase superdosing of nutritionally complete feeds does not appear to have additional benefits beyond the standard phytase dose on production characteristics or packed cell volume of pond‐raised hybrid catfish and had no beneficial effects on water quality.     

Development of a feeding strategy for silver perch, Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell), based on restricted rations

To develop a feeding strategy for the Australian freshwater fish silver perch (Bidyanus bidyanus Mitchell), a series of eight experiments was done in 1 m³ cages in an aerated, earthen pond to determine the effects of feeding rate (% body weight) and feeding frequency (no. of feeds day^?1) on the growth and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of fingerlings and larger fish under ambient water temperatures over the range 13.8–30.6°C. Fish were fed extruded pellets of a silver perch diet containing 34% digestible protein and 14 MJ kg^?1 digestible energy. Commercial silver perch farmers were consulted about feeding practices for large fish (>500 g) and at water temperatures below 12°C, and winter feeding practices for other warmwater species were used to complete the strategy. In the feeding experiments, growth and FCR increased with increasing feeding rates to a level above which only FCR increased. Optimal feeding rates and frequencies were those which resulted in maximal growth, while minimizing effort (feeding frequency) and FCR. The highest feeding frequency required for maximal growth, including that of small fingerlings was twice (2 ×) daily, and the optimal feeding rates varied with water temperature and size of fish. The optimal daily regimes were: small fingerlings (initial mean weight, 2.0 g) 7.5% 2 × at a mean temperature of 23.3°C; fingerlings (14.9–27.7 g) 7.5% 2 × at 27.1°C, 5.0% 2 × at 23.7°C and 2.0% 1 × at 16.8°C; and large silver perch (162.5–510.6 g) 0.5% 1 × daily or 1.0% on alternate days at 15.6°C, 1.0% 1 × at 17.3°C, 3.0% 2 × at 24.1°C and 2.0% 2 × at 27.9°C. It is suggested that regimes of 0.5% 1 × daily for fingerlings (<50 g) and 0.5% 1 × on alternate days for larger fish are used at temperatures of 9–12°C, and 0.5% 3 days week^?1 and 0.5% 1 day week^?1 for fingerlings and larger fish, respectively, at 6–9°C. Feed inputs should not exceed 150 kg ha^?1 day^?1 in ponds less than 0.3 ha and 100 kg ha^?1 day^?1 in larger ponds. Our research has established a feeding strategy for silver perch based on restricted rations.     

Experimental Infection of Rainbow Trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss,and Hybrid Striped Bass,Morone chrysops ♂ × Morone saxatilis ♀, with Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus Genotype IVb

The emergence of a new sublineage of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) within the Laurentian Great Lakes has caused concern for aquaculture in the United States. Because of the occurrence of VHSV in a new geographic location, new host species have been identified and the complete host range has not been determined. This study confirmed the high resistance of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, to VHSV type IVb infection. In addition, the experimental susceptibility of hybrid striped bass, Morone chrysops ♂ × Morone saxatilis ♀, to VHSV type IVb infection was examined but determined to be highly dependent on age of fish and exposure temperature. No mortality was observed in adult fish infected via intraperitoneal (IP) injection at 15 C, whereas yearling fish infected via IP injection under the same conditions experienced 20.8% mortality. Among yearling fish infected via IP injection, mortality increased to 100% when exposure to VHSV occurred at 10 C. An LD₅₀ for yearling hybrid striped bass exposed to VHSV at 10 C by IP injection was determined to be 1.4 × 10⁴ pfu (SE = 2.1). Thus, at 10 C, yearling hybrid striped bass experience a high mortality when exposed to VHSV IVb by IP injection.     

Therapeutic and prophylactic immunization against Streptococcus iniae infection in hybrid striped bass (Morone chrysops×Morone saxatilis)

Vaccination strategies have traditionally been used as preventative or prophylactic measures against disease (prophylactic immunization) in uninfected fish. Alternatively, therapeutic or remedial measures, such as antibiotic administration, are commonly employed to treat disease in infected fish. Vaccination as a therapeutic measure (therapeutic immunization), however, has not been adequately explored in sub‐clinically infected fish. Therapeutic and prophylactic immunization with three Streptococcus iniae vaccines, formalin‐killed whole S. iniae cells (FKC vaccine), concentrated S. iniae extracellular products (greater than 2 kDa) (ECP vaccine) and a combination of killed cells and extracellular products (FKC+ECP vaccine), were tested in hybrid striped bass, Morone chrysops×Morone saxatilis, previously naturally infected with S. iniae. Fish (mean weight 10.0 g) were injected intraperitoneally (IP) or intramuscularly (IM) with one of each of the vaccines, tryptic soy broth (TSB‐control) or non‐injected (non‐injected control) to evaluate therapeutic effects (Trial 1). Survivors of the natural infection and ECP and FKC+ECP vaccine immunization and another lot of non‐injected control fish were immersion challenged with 1.47 × 10⁶ CFU of S. iniae mL^?1 at 44 days post‐immunization to evaluate vaccine efficacy (Trial 2). Hybrid striped bass (1.0 g) were also IM injected with S. iniae ECP vaccine at an aquaculture facility and immersion challenged with 1.47 × 10⁶ CFU of S. iniae mL^?1 12 weeks post‐immunization (Trial 3). The ECP and FKC+ECP vaccines, regardless of injection route, significantly (P<0.001) increased survival in asymptomatic, sub‐clinically infected fish thereby providing therapeutic merit. Hybrid bass immunized IP or IM had mean per cent survival values ranging from 78 to 96 at 44 days post‐immunization (Trial 1) and 69–97 post challenge (Trial 2). Survival of fish injected with TSB or immunized with FKC vaccine was significantly lowered and ranged from 12 to 13 by IP injection and 40 to 50 by IM injection and thus, the FKC vaccine had no therapeutic effect. The survival of hybrid striped bass IM immunized with S. iniae ECP vaccine in field Trial 3 was 91 and the RPS was 83. These results demonstrate that therapeutic immunization using S. iniae ECP and FKC+ECP vaccines can control a natural S. iniae infection. Furthermore, S. iniae ECP or FKC+ECP vaccines can also be used prophylacticly to protect hybrid striped bass against subsequent pathogen challenge.