Naturally fertilised eggs obtained from a captive broodstock were
collected from cages placed in the Northern Mediterranean coast of
Spain. Three egg batches were used in this study. Eggs were transferred
to the hatchery facilities of FUTUNA Blue and incubated in 100 l tanks at
a temperature of 23 °C and a salinity of 37 g l−1. Larvaewere reared in
25 m3 tanks with water recirculation system at a temperature of
23–24 °C, a salinity of 37 g l−1 and a light/dark daily cycle of 16/8 h.
Oxygen saturation in water ranged between 85 and 110%. The initial
density was 4 larvae l−1. Exogenous feeding started at 2 days posthatching
(dph). Larvae were fed on rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis)
enrichedwith Ori-green (Skretting) during the first two days of feeding
and on copepods from 3 to 18 dph. Copepods were cultured on
mesocosm system and consisted in a mixture of Acartia sp. (95%) and
Trigriopus sp. (5%). Rotifers and copepods were supplied twice a day
to maintain a minimum density of 10 prey ml−1 in the rearing tanks.
Weaning onto commercial diet (Skretting Tuna Starter; 300–500 of particle
diameter) started at 16 dph. Microalgae Tetraselmis chuii was also
provided from first feeding up to 15 dph