Early and Larval Development of the Marine Species Grey Triggerfish ( Balistes capriscus , Gmelin, 1789) and the Use of Different Organisms as First Food Sources

The aim of this study was to provide an initial description of the embryology and larval development of Balistes capriscus species obtained from natural spawning in captivity. The study also aimed to assess the stocking density and the impact of offering four types of live food as the initial feed during the larviculture phase. Observations of the embryos and larvae were conducted using a LEICA optical microscope with 25X and 10X magnification and an image capture system. The larval development was monitored at intervals of up to 8 h. The study found that eggs incubated at 24°C hatched approximately 23 h after fertilisation, with yolk consumption occurring around 90 h after fertilisation. Exogenous feeding, starting with rotifer ingestion, began at 99 h after fertilisation. The stocking densities and various food types tested in this study did not significantly impact the survival rate during the larviculture period.