Management and relationship of environmental factors with reproductive characteristics of silver croaker in cage culture

Abstract

 In the first study of Plagioscion squamosissimus in cage culture, different culture structures, as well as the reproductive period, fecundity and sexual dimorphism were evaluated. Cages with 2 m of depth resulted in highest survival. The reproductive peak was in January and February. Females showed three stages of gonads development and males, only one. The pelvic and anal fins in sexually mature females showed reddish color. Mature oocytes gonads showed diameters between 0.45 and 0.55 mm. Fertility was estimated at 337,562 ± 333,061 oocytes. A pair of extrinsic muscles in males and absent in females was responsible for producing audible sounds. The dry season and the beginning of the rising water, low conductivity and low pH are potential triggers of gonadal maturation. The results of this study provide information on techniques bases for silver croaker cage culture.