Environmental Salinity Affects Growth and Metabolism in Fingerling Meagre (<i>Argyrosomus Regius</i>)
Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo,
Ana Belén Tinoco,
Luis Vargas-Chacoff,
Juan Antonio Martos-Sitcha,
Ana Rodríguez-Rúa,
Salvador Cárdenas,
Juan Miguel Mancera
Affiliations
Ignacio Ruiz-Jarabo
Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR) University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
Ana Belén Tinoco
Departamento de Producción, IFAPA Centro El Toruño, Junta de Andalucía, E-11500 El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain
Luis Vargas-Chacoff
Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile
Juan Antonio Martos-Sitcha
Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR) University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
Ana Rodríguez-Rúa
Departamento de Producción, IFAPA Centro El Toruño, Junta de Andalucía, E-11500 El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain
Salvador Cárdenas
Departamento de Producción, IFAPA Centro El Toruño, Junta de Andalucía, E-11500 El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain
Juan Miguel Mancera
Department of Biology, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, Instituto Universitario de Investigación Marina (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR) University of Cadiz, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
The meagre (Argyrosomus regius), a farmed fish in Mediterranean countries, seasonally migrates from offshore areas to estuaries for reproduction. During the first two years of life, the meagre evidences a certain grade of euryhalinity by staying in brackish waters close to the shore. The aim of the present study was to establish if fingerling growth in brackish water is improved compared to seawater, where current culture procedures are conducted. Three-month-old fingerlings were maintained for 45 days under two different salinity regimens (12 and 39 ppt). Several growth parameters as well as osmoregulatory and metabolic variables were assessed. Specific growth rate and hepatosomatic index values revealed that fingerlings performed better in brackish waters (12 ppt) compared to 39 ppt. This study contributes to optimizing meagre rearing conditions, thereby supporting the role of A. regius in aquaculture diversification.
