Nick C. Parker

Influence of Water Hardness, Salts, and MS-222 on Survival of Phase I Striped Bass During and After Transport

Phase I striped bass hauled in varying levels of sodium chloride (NaCl) had significantly higher survival than fish hauled in varying levels of calcium chloride (CaCl2), regardless if the fish came from a hard water or soft water hatchery. The addition of MS-222 to the transport water did not have a beneficial effect on phase I striped bass survival.

Relation of Environmental Calcium and pH to the Stress Response of Striped Bass

Striped bass fingerlings (Morone saxatilis) acclimated to hard water (110 mg/liter as calcium carbonate, 41.0 mg/liter as calcium) were exposed for 96 hours at pH 7.7, 6.1, or 4.2 in hard water. In another experiment, striped bass fingerlings acclimated to soft water (32 mg/liter as calcium carbonate, 9.5 mg/liter as calcium) were exposed for 96 h at pH 7.7, 6.1, or 4.2 in soft water. No mortalities occurred during the experiments. The primary stress response and electrolyte disturbance were less severe in fish acclimated to hard water than in fish acclimated to soft water, suggesting that...

Influence of Sodium and Calcium Chloride on the Stress Response and Survival of Striped Bass During and After Transport from a Hard and Soft Water Hatchery

Survival and the stress response of striped bass Morone saxatilis during transport and for a 1-month recovery period after transport were evaluated in 2 studies. In the first study, fish from Carbon Hill National Fish Hatchery (CHNFH), a hard water hatchery (total hardness, 100 mg/liter as calcium carbonate), were transported and recovered for 1 month at the Southeastern Fish Cultural Laboratory (SFCL), a hard water facility (total hardness, 108 mg/liter as calicum carbonate). In the second study, fish from Warm Springs National Fish Hatchery (WSNFH), a soft water hatchery (total hardness...

Striped Bass Culture In Continuously Aerated Ponds

Production of striped bass (Morone saxatilis) fingerlings in eight 0.02-ha ponds aerated with continuously operated airlift pumps averaged 181,000 fish! ha. Ponds were initially fertilized with hay at either 560, 1120, or 2240 kg! ha and zooplankton blooms were maintained with hay and meat scrap fertilizers. The average daily application of organic fertilizers ranged from 32 to 82 kg! ha. Five-day-old fry were stocked at the rate of 250,000, 500,000, or I million! ha. Fry were supplementally fed a 45% protein diet 3 times per day after they were 22 days old. After 44 days in the pond the...

Hydrological Parameters and Gas Bubble Disease in a Mariculture Pond and Flow-Through Aquaria Receiving Heated Effluent

Total dissolved gas, dissolved oxygen, dissolved nitrogen, pH, conductivity, temperature, and turbidity were monitored to determine diel and annual changes in a mariculture pond and in aquaria supplied with water discharged from a power plant. The diel and annual ranges of all hydrological parameters were greater in the pond than in aquaria. Diel patterns were similar in both cases but the amplitude was attenuated in the laboratory aquaria. Gas bubble disease (OBD) developed in 17 marine and estuarine fishes and in grass shrimps in the laboratory. GBD was more prevalent in aquaria at...

The Potential for Soft Shell Crab Production Utilizing Heated Effluents from Power Plants in the Galveston Bay System

Blue crabs, Callinectes sapidus, stocked in cages at two different densities both with and without artificial habitats were compared for growth and survival in a power plant discharge canal and in a pond. Survival was higher for crabs in the pond but growth was significantly greater for those in the discharge canal. Artificial habitats increased survival of crabs cultured in the discharge canal but had no effect on those caged in the pond. In the laboratory no significant differences were found in weight, carapace width, or survival of crabs selected at random in regards to molting cycle...

Evaluation of Recirculating Systems for the Culture of Channel Catfish

Channel catfish can be cultured at high densities in carefully managed recirculating raceway systems. Various flow rates, exchange rates, and tank to filter ratios were investigated in ten recirculating systems employing biological filters, settling chambers and foam strippers. Limestone, shells, styrofoam and teflon rings served as effective filter media, but coal slag restricted water flow and was not satisfactory. An equation was developed to evaluate the effects of system design on water quality. Water quality varies directly with fresh water exchange, flow rate per tank, and the...

Culture of Channel Catfish in a High Flow Recirculating System

An indoor recirculating system was designed to evaluate the effects of a high flow rate and a high filter to tank ratio on the carrying capacity of a closed system for channel catfish culture. Updraft and trickling filters with various filter media were evaluated. A net gain of 319 pounds, with a standing crop of 405 pounds at a density of 7.2 pounds per cubic foot, was obtained over a 142 day growing period.