Acclimatization and induced spawning of sardine (Sardina pilchardus) in captivity

Abstract

Sardines Sardina pilchardus Walbaum captured in the Ria de Vigo with a mean length of 17.13 cm and a mean weight of 49.66 g were acclimatized to captivity for a year, with an overall survival of 39.5 %. They adapted to dry commercial pellets of 500 μm diameter within 3 days of capture. Hormonal induction gave positive results in recently captured mature specimens but those which had been acclimatized for 1 month did not spawn in captivity. The induction method consisted of an initial injection of 125 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) followed 24 h later by 100 IU of pregnant mare serum (PMS) combined with 10 mg of carp pituitary for each specimen. The incubation period of the eggs lasted 4.9 - 1.7 days at temperatures between 11 and 20 °C, and the mean hatching rate was 56%. The larvae obtained showed a positive response to living food consisting of Isochrysis galbana Parke and Brachionus plicatilis Müller.