318 
Abstract — Although the Florida 
pompano ( Trachinotus carolinus) is 
a prime candidate for aquaculture, 
the problematic production of juve- 
niles remains a major impediment to 
commercial culture of this species. In 
order to improve the understanding 
of larval development and to refine 
hatchery production techniques, this 
study was conducted to characterize 
development and growth of Florida 
pompano from hatching through 
metamorphosis by using digital pho- 
tography and image analysis. Newly 
hatched larvae were transparent and 
had a large, elongate yolk sac and 
single oil globule. The lower and upper 
jaws as well as the digestive tract 
were not fully developed at hatching. 
Rotifers were observed in the stomach 
of larvae at three days after hatch- 
ing (DAH), and Artemia spp. were 
observed in the stomach of larvae 
at 14 DAH. Growth rates calculated 
from total length measurements were 
0.22 ±0.04, 0.23 ±0.12, and 0.35 ±0.09 
mm/d for each of the larval rearing 
trials. The mouth gape of larvae was 
0.266 ±0.075 mm at first feeding and 
increased with a growth rate of 0.13 
±0.04 mm/d. Predicted values for 
optimal prey sizes ranged from 80 
to 130 pm at 3 DAH, 160 to 267 pm 
at 5 DAH, and 454 to 757 pm at 10 
DAH. Based on the findings of this 
study, a refined feeding regime was 
developed to provide stage- and size- 
specific guidelines for feeding Florida 
pompano larvae reared under hatch- 
ery conditions. 
Manuscript submitted 5 May 2008. 
Manuscript accepted 24 March 2009. 
Fish. Bull. 107:318-328 (2009). 
The views and opinions expressed 
or implied in this article are those 
of the author and do not necessarily 
reflect the position of the National 
Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. 
Development and growth of hatchery-reared 
larval Florida pompano ( Trachinotus carolinus) 
Kenneth L. Riley (contact author ) 1 
Charles R. Weirich 2 
David Cerino 2 
Email address for contact author: klr1011@ecu.edu 
1 Center for Aquaculture and Stock Enhancement 
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute at Florida Atlantic University 
5600 U.S. Highway 1 North 
Fort Pierce, Florida 34946 
Present address for contact author: Department of Biology 
East Carolina University, 
Greenville, North Carolina 27858-4353 
2 United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service 
5600 U.S. Highway 1 North 
Fort Pierce, Florida 34946 
Jacks and pompanos of the family 
Carangidae are represented by 33 
genera and approximately 140 spe- 
cies found in tropical and subtropical 
oceans around the world (Helfman 
et al., 2003). Because carangids are 
highly regarded as food and game 
fishes, many species are exploited 
worldwide. Common to the south- 
eastern Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico 
coasts of the United States, the Flor- 
ida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) 
is a prime candidate for aquaculture 
and stock enhancement programs 
because of its high value and limited 
availability from commercial harvests 
(Watanabe, 1995; Craig, 2000). 
The larvae and early juveniles of 
28 species of carangids of the South 
Atlantic and Gulf coasts have been 
described with some detail (Goode, 
1882; Starks, 1911; Ginsburg, 1952; 
Aprieto, 1974; Laroche et al., 1984; 
Fahay, 2007). Fields (1962) described 
wild-caught Florida pompano rang- 
ing in size from 4.0 to 42.1 mm total 
length (TL), and more recently Fahay 
(2007) described fish ranging in size 
from 3.1 to 14.8 mm TL. Although 
these reports provide essential in- 
formation on the early life history 
of jacks and pompanos for fishery bi- 
ologists, additional knowledge on the 
morphological development, growth, 
and trophic requirements is essential 
to evaluate new species for culture 
and to develop effective hatchery rear- 
ing techniques and feeding regimes. 
Significant interest in the culture 
of Florida pompano developed in the 
United States during the 1960s and 
1970s and, as a result, efforts were 
initiated to develop spawning and 
rearing techniques for this species 
(Moe et al., 1968; Hoff et al., 1972, 
1978a; McMaster, 1988). Florida pom- 
pano exhibit a number of desirable 
characteristics for aquaculture (Wei- 
rich et al., 2006). The species exhibits 
a high rate of growth, readily accepts 
commercially prepared diets, adapts 
to low salinity environments, and has 
been successfully cultured in tanks, 
ponds, cages, and offshore netpens. 
Unfortunately, the production of a 
reliable supply of juveniles to stock 
grow-out operations has been a lim- 
iting factor with respect to commer- 
cial culture of this species. Hoff et al. 
(1972) reported producing an average 
of only 300 juveniles per spawning 
event, and until recently, researchers 
and commercial culturists alike were 
largely unsuccessful at producing the 
quantities of eggs and larvae needed 
for commercial production or stock en- 
hancement programs. Weirich and Ri- 
ley (2007) reported that in a series of 
nine spawning trials conducted over 
a two-year period, 3.2 million fertil- 
ized eggs were produced by 40 adult 
Florida pompano (1:1 sex ratio). These 
