Influence of the timing of weaning on growth and survival of juvenile winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus)

Metamorphosis is a critical developmental stage that presents particular challenges in fish aquaculture. The sharp increase in mortality that accompanies this transformation has often been attributed to nutritional deficiencies. Providing live feed (rotifers [Brachionus plicatilis (MĂźller, 1786)], Artemia [Artemia salina (L., 1758)]) during the larval stages is costly and labour-intensive, which explains why much effort has been put on early weaning. However, previous observations in winter flounder (Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum, 1792)) indicate that juveniles weaned after settlement had better survival than those weaned at the larval stage. In this study, we tested whether late weaning (at settlement [W0], and groups maintained on co-feeding for one [W1], two [W2], or three [W3] months following settlement) could improve juvenile survival and lipid composition. Our results demonstrated that maintaining co-feeding beyond the larval stage was essential for post-settlement survival. Juveniles co-fed until 90 days after settlement were 32.5% heavier. Analyses of fatty acids trophic markers suggested that juveniles preferentially fed on enriched rotifers rather than inert food. No pigmentation or fin erosion problems were observed in any of the weaning treatments, which indicates good rearing conditions.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author