Publication Date
Fall 2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories
Advisor
Scott Hamilton; Cheryl Logan; Luke Gardner; Michael Graham
Abstract
Wild freshwater eel populations are threatened due to overfishing and habitat degradation. Attempts to use aquaculture to close the eel life cycle have yet to be commercially adapted, owing largely to their complex lifecycle. Monkeyface pricklebacks (Cebidichthys violaceus) are intertidal fish that may serve as an alternative species for freshwater eels in aquaculture, as they possess several beneficial characteristics. This study aimed to optimize diet and culture temperatures to maximize monkeyface prickleback cultures by measuring growth, condition, metabolic rates, fillet composition, and critical thermal maximum (CTmax) of juvenile fish that were reared in two separate experiments: (1) on four different diets (fresh seaweed, seaweed pellet, mixed pellet, and soy pellet) and (2) across five different temperatures (14–26℃) when fed a single diet. Monkeyface pricklebacks exhibited the highest growth rates and body condition when fed the mixed and soy pellets and in the 20–23℃ treatment. Metabolism did not differ between diets but was influenced by temperature. Macronutrient and fatty acid content in fillets were influenced by diet but not temperature. Fish could also increase their CTmax by 2℃ after acclimating to 12℃ warmer waters. If raised on soy-based pellets at 20℃, monkeyface pricklebacks may be adopted as an alternative, which could reduce pressure on freshwater eel populations. However, the fish is still an emerging aquaculture species and faces challenges such as diseases, parasites, aggressive intraspecies behavior, and challenges stimulating reproduction in captivity.
Recommended Citation
Townsend, Luke C., "Determining Best Diet and Temperature Regime of Monkeyface Pricklebacks (Cebidichthys Violaceus) for Aquaculture" (2024). Master's Theses. 5611.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.31979/etd.f5yr-ewrq
https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/etd_theses/5611
