Date Received: 28-07-2013 / Date Accepted: 16-09-2013
The study on effects of temperature and salinity on embryonic development, hatching rate of mouse grouper (Cromileptes altivelis) were designed to identify optimal temperature and salinity for incubation ofCromileptes altivelis eggs. The fertilization eggs were incubated in a series of 1L-glass beakers at a density of 100 eggs/L in two separated experiments. The first experiment was conducted at five different temperature treatments at 20, 24, 28, 32 and 36ºC at 29‰ with three replicates for each. The second pilot incubates eggs at 28.0 ± 1.0ºC in different salinity treatments of 23, 26, 29, 32 and 35‰. The results from the temperature experiment showed that eggs incubated at 28oC for the highest hatching rate (87.4 ± 3.3%) and lowest deformity rate (4.8 ± 1.4%) compared to other treatments (P<0.05). Salinity is the most suitable for incubation of fertilized eggs of mouse grouper from 30 to 35‰ with high hatching rate of 83.4 - 85.6% and low deformity rate of 1.65 - 1.73% in comparision with other treatments (P<0.05). In conclusion, among the range of temperature and salinity studied, mouse grouper eggs reached highest incubation performance at 28ºC and salinity ranged from 32 to 35‰.
