The mouth of the seven-band grouper E. septemfasciatus opens at
3 day after hatching (DAH
, and the mouth size at the first day of feeding
(4 DAH) is 180 ± 20 μm
On 4 DAH, the larvae
showed a higher selectivity on P. similis than B. rotundiformis, with a
selectivity index of 0.7 and 0.3, respectively.
The preference became
neutral on 5 DAH, and the larvae switched their preference to larger
prey (B. rotundiformis) on 6 DAH and thereafter.
Therefore, a combination
of P. similis and B. rotundiformis is recommended in larval rearing
of grouper, E. septemfasciatus