LABORATORY CULTURE OF 
MARINE FISH LARVAE 
AND THEIR ROLE IN 
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 
E.D. Houde and A. K. Taniguchi 
Rosenstiel School of Marine 
and Atmospheric Science 
University of Miami 
Miami, Florida 
ABSTRACT 
The capability to predictably culture marine fish larvae beyond embryonic 
and yolk-sac stages has been developed during the past 15 years. This has led to 
advances in our understanding of how environmental variables affect survival 
and eventual recruitment of fishes. Most marine fish larvae are planktonic 
carnivores and consume living prey less than 150 jum in breadth when they first 
feed. The most important advance in culture technology was the determination 
of kinds and concentrations of prey that enable larvae to survive and grow at 
predictable rates, permitting ecological, physiological, and behavioral research 
to be undertaken. Prey concentrations necessary for growth and survival of 
some typical marine teleost larvae, usually range from 10^ to 1CP per liter. 
Best survival rates, fastest growth, and lowest variability, have been obtained at 
the 1CF per liter concentration. Growth efficiencies and food consumption by 
marine fish larvae are comparable to other predatory zooplankton. Some 
knowledge about effects of predation on marine fish larvae survival has been 
obtained, but further study is necessary, especially to determine how 
environmental factors modify predator effects. Some areas of environmental 
research, using cultured marine fish larvae, are reviewed. These include the 
roles of physical and chemical variables, other than man-induced environmental 
perturbations, and some effects of environmental change caused by man’s 
encroachment upon and alteration of marine habitats. Other important 
advances include development of field bioassay methods to determine if 
plankton standing stock can support fish larvae; development of biochemical 
and histological techniques to evaluate larval condition; and the recent 
discovery that larvae can be accurately aged using daily otolith increments. 
Some ideas for productive future research are proposed. 
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