Influence of prompt first feeding on growth and survival of clownfish Amphiprion percula larvae

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the changes in the morphometric characteristics and survival rate of clownfish Amphiprion percula larvae with respect to different initial feeding times. The larvae started their initial feeding at 12 hr showed maximum survival (42%) and no survival was observed at 8th day when larvae started initial feeding after 24, 36 and 48 hr. Morphometric parameters such as Total length (TL), Weight (W), Head depth (HD), Body depth (BD) and Eye diameter (ED) were significantly higher in larvae which started their initial feed at 12 hr. The present study thus suggests that the first feeding of the clownfish A. percula larvae can be initiated before 12 hr, for better growth and survival.