Email this article (Login required)
Email the author (Login required) First sexual maturity evaluation of the Pacific red snapper (Lutjanus peru) born in captivity
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3856/vol44-issue4-fulltext-10
Abstract
The Pacific red snapper Lutjanus peru, is an attractive species for aquaculture. Its reproduction in captivity under controlled conditions has not been feasible, due to the lack of knowledge on its basic reproductive biology and management conditions. For the first time, we evaluated the first sexual maturity stage of captive Pacific red snapper, born in 2009 at CIBNOR. The first sexual maturity was reached in four years with an average weight of 2,829 ± 80.9 g and average size of 540.3 ± 4.6 mm. Spawning occurred in June 2013, with a reproductive synchronization between males and females, which coincides with a photoperiod of 13 h of light and 11 h of darkness, an increase in the water ponds temperature to 24.81 ± 1.4°C. The final spawning occurred in December with a decrement of the water ponds temperature to 21.2 ± 1.5°C and 10 h light. The sex ratio was determined as 1:3.2 (female: male). The size of eggs and lipid drop decreased as the spawning season progressed. Hormone levels (estradiol, testosterone and 11-keto-testosterone), was evaluated for three years. We determined a defined reproductive cycle for the species in captivity in two periods: 1) a rest period, from December to May, and 2) a reproductive period from June to November.
