Further Development of Aquaculture Techniques for the Production of WA Dhufish

224 Pages·2003·1.65 MB·English

DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH

Further Development of Aquaculture
Techniques for the Production of WA
Dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum)

FRDC Project 1999/322

Incorporating

Development of Aquaculture Techniques
for the Production of WA Dhufish
(Glaucosoma hebraicum)
FRDC Project 1996/308

Dr Jennifer Cleary and Mr Greg Jenkins

AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH

AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
TITLE

Further Development of Aquaculture Techniques for
the Production of WA Dhufish (Glaucosoma
hebraicum) (FRDC Project 1999/322)

Incorporating
Development of Aquaculture Techniques for the Production of WA
Dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum) (FRDC Project 1996/308)

Authors
Dr Jennifer Cleary and Mr Greg I Jenkins
WA Maritime Training Centre, Fremantle
Challenger TAFE
1 Fleet Street, Fremantle, WA, 6160

February 2003

Copyright
© Fisheries Research and Development Corporation and the Aquaculture Development
Unit, WA Maritime Training Centre, Challenger TAFE, Fremantle. 2003

This work is copyright. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), no part
of this publication may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise, without the
specific written permission of the copyright owners. Neither may information be stored
electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission.

Disclaimer
The authors do not warrant that the information in this book is free from errors or
omissions. The authors do not accept any form of liability, be it contractual, tortious or
otherwise, for the contents of this book or for any consequences arising from its use or
any reliance placed upon it.

The importation, purchase and use of chemicals to treat animals (including fish) in
Australia is controlled through the National Registration Authority for Agriculture and
Veterinary Chemicals. Information on chemicals and dosage rates are provided in this
document, based on published data, for specific life stages of individual species under
laboratory conditions. The provision of the chemical and dose rate information in this
document does not infer that the chemicals may be legally used for aquaculture in
Australia. Some of the stated products in this text are unregistered, or not registered for
the particular use. This should not be interpreted as a recommendation for use and the
authors of this publication take no responsibility for losses should these chemicals or
dosages be used in aquaculture. It is an offence to import and supply unregistered
chemicals and the supply must be authorised by either a veterinary prescription or permit.
Farmers should check the current registration status of chemicals with the National
Registration Authority [phone], or http://www.nra.gov.au

ISBN 0-9750577-0-7

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
Acknowledgments
All of the staff at the Aquaculture Development Unit of the Western Australian Maritime Training
Centre, Challenger TAFE have contributed in various ways to the production of this hatchery
manual. In particular we would like to thank Françoise Pironet for her commitment and substantial
contribution in the early years of this research and Anthony Aris and Andrew Hughes for their
contributions while serving as technicians on the dhufish culture project. Also special thanks to
François Bosc for his time on the project and Tahryn Mackrill and Stuart Thrum for their many
hours of enthusiastic voluntary assistance.
We are also grateful to all the staff at the ADU, including Ken Frankish (Hatchery Manager), Gavin
Partridge (Biologist), Bruce Ginbey (Assistant Hatchery Manager), Sam Boarder, Dean Kennerly,
Craig Poller, and Arron Strawbridge. Particular thanks also to our WA Department of Fisheries
collaborators over the years of this project, Noel Morrissey, Brian Jones, Sagiv Kolkovski and
Brett Glencross.
We also gratefully acknowledge the assistance and support given to us by the community. In
particular we would like to thank Ron Lopresti, Ian McFarlane, Gary Ward, Bob Morris and Franz
Van Der Poll for their assistance in catching broodstock.
We are grateful too for the contributions made by those from other research organisations: Fran
Stephens, Shane Raidal and others from the School of Veterinary Studies, Murdoch University;
Michael Payne, School of Environmental Biology, Curtin University; Alex Hesp, School of
Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Murdoch University and Julia Shand, Department of
Zoology, University of Western Australia.
Funding for this project is provided by Challenger TAFE, Fisheries Research and Development
Corporation and Fisheries Western Australia. We are grateful for their support.

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements...................................................................................................ii
List of Tables...............................................................................................................v
List of Figures...........................................................................................................vii
Chapter 1: Non-technical Summary...................................................................1
Chapter 2: Introduction..........................................................................................3
2.1 Background .............................................................................................................3
2.2 Potential of WA dhufish as an aquaculture species.....................................................4
2.3 Need.......................................................................................................................4
2.4 Benefits...................................................................................................................5
2.5 Objectives................................................................................................................6
Chapter 3: Biology of the Dhufish......................................................................7
Chapter 4: Broodstock...........................................................................................9
4.1 Collection................................................................................................................9
4.2 Quarantine..............................................................................................................11
4.3 Tank design............................................................................................................11
4.4 Husbandry..............................................................................................................12
4.5 Feeding and nutrition...............................................................................................14
4.6 Handling.................................................................................................................15
Chapter 5: Reproduction.....................................................................................20
5.1 Overview................................................................................................................20
5.2 Hormones...............................................................................................................20
5.3 Egg production........................................................................................................22
5.4 Sperm collection, storage and quality assessment.....................................................25
5.5 Stripping and fertilisation..........................................................................................29
5.6 Rinsing and counting of eggs...................................................................................30
5.7 Egg quality..............................................................................................................31
5.8 Incubation, larval harvesting and counting.................................................................32
Chapter 6: Larviculture........................................................................................34
6.1 Overview................................................................................................................34
6.2 Evolution of a suitable larval rearing system for dhufish.............................................35
6.3 General larviculture principles ..................................................................................38
6.4 Summary of developmental stages...........................................................................40
6.5 Weaning to a pellet..................................................................................................41
6.6 Harvest and survival estimates.................................................................................41
Chapter 7: Nursery and Grow-out.....................................................................43
7.1 Husbandry..............................................................................................................43
7.2 Grading..................................................................................................................43
7.3 Feeding and nutrition...............................................................................................44
7.4 Growth rates...........................................................................................................45
Chapter 8: Health and Disease Management.................................................47

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
8.1 Disease recognition.................................................................................................47
8.2 Disease diagnosis...................................................................................................48
8.3 Identified diseases and their treatments....................................................................49
8.4 FRDC Final Report:98/328 Non-Technical Summary.................................................54
Chapter 9: References.........................................................................................55
Appendices ..............................................................................................................A1
Appendix A: Decompression sickness in Western Australian dhufish
(Glaucosoma hebraicum)..............................................................................A1
Appendix B: Suitability of bore salt-water and ocean water for rearing dhufish...................A30
Appendix C: Specifications for vitamin and mineral premix ...............................................A32
Appendix D: Recipe for moist pellet.................................................................................A33
Appendix E: Technique for making and administering an LHRHa slow-release
cholesterol pellet.........................................................................................A34
Appendix F: Stimulating in-tank spawning in acclimated dhufish.......................................A37
Appendix G: The response of acclimated female dhufish to implant with an
LHRHa slow-release pellet ..........................................................................A41
Appendix H: Stimulating ovulation from dhufish caught from the wild during the
spawning season........................................................................................A45
Appendix I: Determining the window of post-ovulatory viability.........................................A54
Appendix J: The effect of LHRHa slow-release pellet on acclimated males .......................A57
Appendix K: Collection of sperm from different sources....................................................A60
Appendix L: Cryopreservation of dhufish spermatozoa.....................................................A62
Appendix M: Hormone-induced spawning and development of artificially reared
larvae of the West Australian dhufish, Glaucosoma hebraicum......................A87
Appendix N: WA Dhufish Larval Rearing - 1999/2000 End of Year Report.........................A97
Appendix O: Cultured copepods as food for West Australian dhufish
(Glaucosoma hebraicum) larvae.................................................................A120
Appendix P: Developing a weaning technique for dhufish larvae......................................A147
Appendix Q: Evaluation of feed ingredient utilisation and native tissue
composition as a precursor to diet development for the West
Australian dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum)................................................A156
Appendix R: Treatments for ectoparasites and diseases in captive Western
Australian dhufish......................................................................................A171
Appendix S: Intellectual Property...................................................................................A182
Appendix T: Staff involvement in this FRDC project........................................................A182

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
List of Tables
Table 1: Summary of larviculture trials for dhufish at the ADU........................................37
Table A1: Solubility coefficients for nitrogen gas in biological fluids at 37oC......................A7
Table A2: Mean damage scores and standard errors for gross bubble formation
in WA dhufish upon capture from 2 depth categories.....................................A13
Table A3: Mean damage scores and standard errors for gross haemorrhaging in
WA dhufish upon capture from two depth categories.....................................A13
Table A4: Mean swimbladder inflation scores and presence of exophthalmia in
WA dhufish upon capture from two depth categories.....................................A14
Table A5 Mean damage scores + SE for heart histopathology in WA dhufish
upon capture from two depth categories.......................................................A14
Table A6 Mean damage scores + SE for liver histopathology in WA dhufish
upon capture from two depth categories.......................................................A15
Table A7 Mean damage scores + SE for kidney histopathology in WA dhufish
upon capture from two depth categories.......................................................A16
Table A8 Mean damage scores + SE for spleen histopathology in WA dhufish
upon capture from two depth categories.......................................................A16
Table A9: Specifications for vitamin/mineral premix......................................................A32
Table A10: Ingredients for moist pellet...........................................................................A33
Table A11: Schedule for oral administration of LHRHa to captive female dhufish.............A38
Table A12: Length-weight-dose conversion used at sea to determine correct
hormone dose for injection. .........................................................................A46
Table A13: Capture rate of sexually mature dhufish caught from the wild in
shallow water.............................................................................................A48
Table A14: The initial oocyte diameter, number of ovulations, and the number of
viable eggs from individual female dhufish caught from the wild and
treated with hormones at capture.................................................................A49
Table A15: Composition of the two diluents used for diluting semen samples prior
to cryopreservation .....................................................................................A67

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
Table A16: Composition of the marine teleost ringers used in both diluents.....................A68
Table A17: Summary of the varying techniques for collecting, preparing,
cryopreserving and thawing semen samples for dhufish, black bream
and snapper trials.......................................................................................A72
Table A18: The range of post-freeze activities for dhufish trial 1......................................A74
Table A19: Hormone treatments in male and female Glaucosoma hebraicum
(Table 1, Pironet and Neira, 1998)...............................................................A88
Table A20: Diameter (µm) of eggs of Glaucosoma hebraicum spawned naturally
and after hormone treatment (Table 2, Pironet and Neira, 1998)....................A89
Table A21: Body Length, age and body proportions of larval stages of
Glaucosoma hebraicum reared in the laboratory (Table 3, Pironet and
Neira, 1998) ...............................................................................................A89
Table A22: Final (day 12) densities of nauplii, copepodids and adult copepods in
Nannochloropsis greenwater treatments (mean ± sd) (Table 2-1.).................A127
Table A23: Production outputs from three intensive copepod cultures operated in
1000 l tanks at ADU (Table 6-1)..................................................................A141
Table A24: Composition of microbound diet used in experiment 1 and 2.........................A150
Table A25: Formulation, proximate and digestibility specifications of the basal diet .........A167
Table A26: Proximate composition of the ingredients used in the test diets.....................A168
Table A27: Digestible nutrient contributions of specific ingredients.................................A169
Table A28: Digestible nutrient contributions from compounded ingredient diets...............A169
Table A29: Amino acid compositions of native dhufish flesh...........................................A170
Table A30: Treatments used, their duration and survival rate of dhufish in captivity
at Fremantle..............................................................................................A174

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
List of Figures
Figure 1: Dhufish from the captive breeding program at the ADU.....................................7
Figure 2: Mean monthly gonadosomatic indices for female and male dhufish
caught in offshore waters between Geraldton and Perth between May
1996 and April 1998........................................................................................8
Figure 3: Diagram showing location of swimbladder and point of insertion to
deflate the swimbladder.................................................................................10
Figure 4: Dhufish broodstock being implanted with a PIT tag using a commercial
applicator. .....................................................................................................11
Figure 5: Floating egg collector.....................................................................................12
Figure 6: Crowding dhufish broodstock using a circular floating crowd.............................15
Figure 7: Dhufish in a foam restraint..............................................................................18
Figure 8: Cradle for weighing and measuring dhufish.....................................................19
Figure 9: The action of LHRHa and hCG on the reproduction in marine fish.....................21
Figure 10: Stripping male dhufish....................................................................................26
Figure 11: Stripping female dhufish.................................................................................29
Figure 12: Egg counting cone.........................................................................................30
Figure 13: Permanent siphon..........................................................................................30
Figure 14: Floating incubation cone................................................................................32
Figure 15: 5000L larval rearing tank................................................................................38
Figure 16: Surface skimmer............................................................................................39
Figure 17: Dhufish eggs undergoing organogenesis.........................................................40
Figure 18: Newly hatched dhufish larvae.........................................................................40
Figure 19 Fully metamorphosed juvenile dhufish.............................................................40
Figure 20: Juvenile dhufish being stocked onto a new tank following grading.....................43

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE
DEVELOPMENT OF AQUACULTURE TECHNIQUES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF DHUFISH
Figure 21: Growth of hatchery-reared dhufish..................................................................45
Figure A1: The effects on the volume of a balloon as pressure increases with
depth (according to Boyle’s Law). ..................................................................A5
Figure A2: To maintain a constant volume in the balloon, gas has to be pumped
into it as pressure increases with dhufish........................................................A5
Figure A3: The Westralian dhufish................................................................................A20
Figure A4: The formation of bubbles in the residue blood in the gut cavity.......................A20
Figure A5: Shallow water fish with minor haemorrhage in the liver..................................A21
Figure A6: Deep water fish with moderate to severe haemorrhage in liver.......................A21
Figure A7: Slight haemorrhaging in the capillaries on the inside of the swim
bladder of a shallow water fish.....................................................................A22
Figure A8: Severe haemorrhaging in the capillaries on the inside of the swim
bladder of a deep water fish........................................................................A22
Figure A9: Heavy inflation of the swim bladder in a shallow water fish............................A23
Figure A10: Exophthalmia (protrusion of the eyes) in a deep water fish............................A23
Figure A11: (4x) Large bubbles in the tissue of the heart of a deep water fish...................A24
Figure A12: (10x) Heavy clotting in the heart tissue of a deep water fish............................A24
Figure A13: Bubbles and clotting occluding a blood vessel in the liver of a deep
water fish...................................................................................................A25
Figure A14: Large bubbles in the pancreatic tissue (purple tissue) surrounding a
blood vessel in the liver...............................................................................A25
Figure A15: (4x) Severe haemorrhaging in the liver of a shallow water fish.......................A26
Figure A16: (4x) Empty blood vessels with large spaces between the vessel and
the liver......................................................................................................A26
Figure A17: (10x) Haemorrhaging with large bubble formation in the tissue of the
kidney........................................................................................................A27
Figure A18: (10x) Heavy clotting in the spleen of a deep water fish (pink area in
centre with white blood cell accumulation.....................................................A27

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AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT UNIT, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN MARITIME TRAINING CENTRE