FISHERIES RESEARCH INSTITUTE,MOA,TAIWAN

Three-banded sweetlip Plectorhinchus cinctus belongs to the family Haemulidae. The fertilized eggs are transparent and their diameters range from 0.78 mm to 0.82 mm. The eggs contain a single globule which has a diameter of 0.21 mm. In salinity of 31 ppt, the fertilized eggs are suspending in the water column. At water temperature of 26-28℃ and salinity of 31 ppt, the larvae hatched at 21 hours after fertilization. The total lengths of the newly hatched larvae, 24 hours and 48 hours old were 1.67 mm, 2.6 mm and 2.8 mm, respectively. The larvae of 2.8 mm in total length were found to start first feeding at about 62 hours after fertilization. At water temperature of 26-29℃ and salinity of 30-32 ppt, the mean total length and body weight of the 42 days old fry were 3610.1 mm and 0.940.78 g, respectively. The body coloration changed with the growth from transparent in newly-hatched larvae to deep black color in 12 days old and turn gradually to yellow-brownish color after one month old. The feeds for larvae include oyster Crassostrea gigas embryos, rotifers Brachionus plicatilis, Artemias spp., copepod and small shrimps Acetes spp.
Key words: Plectorhinchus cinctus, Early development, Larval rearing