Survival and Growth of Walleye Stizostedion vitreum Fry as Affected by Water Recirculation, Feed Transition Age, and Stocking Density

Abstract.— The effects of recirculation aquaculture on walleye Stizostedion vitreuin fry culture was evaluated from hatch (day 0) to day 65 and compared to traditional flow-through aquaculture used at New York State's Fish Culture Station, Oneida, New York, USA. A comparison of survival rates of walleye fry through a feed transition period was also conducted with the variable being the age (d) at which dry feed was first introduced to fingerlings; this trial was conducted using recirculation aquaculture systems only. Comparisons were made of growth rates and survival rates broken down into two life stages: stage one was from day 0 to day 45 and stage two from day 45 to day 65. All systems were taken off live feed completely on day 45 resulting in a feed transition period between days 45 and 65. Fish in the flow-through system had the highest cumulative growth rates through day 70 (P < 0.05) while fish in the recirculating system grew faster through day 53 (P < 0.10). The recirculating system showed significantly higher survival rates during the feed transition period (day 45–65) than fish in the conventional flow-through system (P < 0.05). This is important because the transition period is the most stressful period in training fingerlings onto dry feed from a live diet. It was found that fish started on a dry diet on day I or day 14 in addition to the live diet had a significantly higher survival rate through the feed transition period than fish started on dry feed on day 30 (P < 0.1). The age at which dry feed was introduced had no significant impact on growth rates. There was a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) between survival rates and the initial stocking density over a range of densities from 3,500 to 7,000 fish/m³.