A key challenge facing scientists in marine ornamental aquaculture is the successful design and operation
of tanks that accommodate fragile pelagic larvae, whilst allowing for adequate replication, behavioural
observation and systematic investigation.
To address this challenge four experimental tank designs are described that have been used successfully in developing research methodologies for the larval rearing of marine ornamental species. The four
designs increase sequentially in scale and include a 3-L and 9-L rounded tank design, a 5-L modified
‘planktonkreisel’ design and a 100-L cylindricoconical design, all ofwhich can be operated as either static
or flow-through systems. The 3-L and 9-L tanks and the 5-L planktonkreisel design are constructed from
readily available materials and can be replicated to improve statistical strength while accommodating
the requirements of larval fish for gentle flow, mixing, and maintenance of live prey in suspension. The
100-L tank is a technical improvement on existing current designs, using a novel integrated inlet-outlet
design to enable the use of a large central outlet filter to increase screen area. This design is scalable and
may be applicable for use in a commercial larviculture setting.
These tank designs provide a versatile and compact option for studies relating to larviculture ofmarine
ornamental species, and may also be useful for other marine fish species.