Update: 21 February 2020

From UF/IFAS TAL PhD student Casey Murray: The Melanurus wrasse cohort is currently 139 dph and we settled collectively 78 individual wrasses from that single batch of eggs. Here are a few pictures of one from today (this one measured approximately 3.5cm/1.44in total length (TL)):


Update: 6 December 2019

From Rising Tide Conservation graduate student Grace Sowaske: The cohort is now 62dph and the latest count revealed 78 juveniles! The next step is moving them to larger tanks and splitting them into smaller groups. This transition could be stressful, especially when moving to our greenhouse systems with different lighting/environment. There really is not a defined “bottleneck” at this stage, they are in their grow-out phase now where we just need to make sure they grow well. After they reach about 2″ we will coordinate with Rising Tide Conservation partner aquariums to have them displayed in their exhibits. It is very exciting that the fish I raised will be displayed at multiple facilities!

From left to right: Melanurus wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus at 43dph, 44dph, and 45dph. Photos by Casey Murray, PhD student UF/IFAS TAL

20 November 2019

The team at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Lab recently settled ~60 Melanurus wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus, the largest cohort of wrasses ever brought through to settlement at the lab! This success was achieved in the newly renovated larval room that was updated with improved systems and lighting. The team reports that with this cohort they modified the larval feeding protocol; starting rotifers on day 10 and microdiets on day 21. They observed the first settled larvae on day 36, and the larvae are currently 46dph. The advancement brings us one step closer to commercializing culture for this species.

Melanurus Wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus, 43 days post hatch (DPH)

This success was the result of the hard work of Rising Tide Conservation graduate student Grace Sowaske, PhD candidate Casey Murray, Sarah Hutchins, and the rest of the Rising Tide team at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Lab.

The lab thanks Quality Marine for their help in acquiring the broodstock, and Rising Tide Conservation and the SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation fund for their continued support.


Read More About Rising Tide Conservation’s Work with the Melanurus wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus:

Breaking The Internet: Check Out Our Wrasses! (Safe For Work) Published 18 May 2015

Update on the Melanurus Wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus, and Yellow Wrasse, Halichoeres chrysus at UF/IFAS TAL Published 14 December 2016

Melanurus Wrasse, Halichoeres melanurus, 44 days post hatch (DPH)

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