Effects of Salinity and Aeration on Survival of and Initial Swim Bladder Inflation in Larval Australian Bass

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Abstract
Survival of and initial swim bladder inflation in Australian bass (Macquaria novemaculeata) larvae were compared at salinities of 0–35‰. Larvae were reared in 60-L aquaria at 19 ± 1°C with no aeration or light for 10 d. At salinities of 0 and 5‰, survival was very low ( 0.05). Initial swim bladder inflation averaged 68.7 ± 19.3% in salinities of 15–35‰; it did not vary significantly among these salinities, and it was higher than at 10‰ (22.0 ± 10.9%). Swim bladder inflation in the salinity range of 15–30% was only 6.4 ± 8.6% when high aeration (>1,000 mL/ min per 60-L aquarium) was used, compared with 81.0 ± 15.6% when low aeration (<50 mL/min) was used. To maximize initial swim bladder inflation, Australian bass larvae should be kept in darkness (< 1 lux), in seawater with a salinity of 15–35‰ and a low aeration rate (<50 mL!min per 60 L), and without food for 10 d.