Snook and Tarpon Snook Culture and Preliminary Evaluation for Commercial Farming

Abstract

Western Atlantic centropomids, especially snook (Centropomus undecimalis), have potential for culture as food fish in fresh- or saltwater ponds, pens, or raceways. In this study, snook and tarpon snook (C. pectinatus) were reared to market size. Salt water was required for rearing early larvae, but juveniles grew fastest in fresh water at 27-28°C. A suitable feeding program included: rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) and Artemia sp. nauplii, followed by dry starter and grower feeds. Feed conversion values (dry weight of feed eaten/wet weight gained by fish) for experimental dry feeds fed to snook weighing 16-725 g were in the range 0.7-1.1. Feed conversion was directly related to carbohydrate content and inversely related to protein content. Shook will begin to eat dry feed within 35 d after hatching and, at temperatures of 26-30°C, can be reared to a mean weight of 450 g in 1 year or less with a feed cost of less than $0.30/ fish. The slower-growing and thinner tarpon snook is a less likely candidate for aquaculture.