SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF RED DRUM SCIAENOPS-OCELLATUS IN SALINE GROUNDWATERS OF WEST TEXAS, USA

West Texas saline groundwaters were assessed as potential media for cu lturing red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus. In 30-d bioassays with juvenile red drum (0.4-3.0 g), highest survival was 85% in a 5-ppt (parts per thousand=g/L) salinity, high-sulfate (1,723 mg/L SO4-2), high-calcium (477 mg/L Ca+2) groundwater from a windmill catchment pond in Pecos Co unty. The lowest survival was 0% in a 35-ppt saline groundwater From a gravel pit, also in Pecos County. In complementary bioassays of low-s alinity (<5 ppt) groundwaters from the same region, calcium chloride ( CaCl2) addition to a 3-ppt. Reeves County groundwater low in Ca+2 resu lted in the greatest increase in survival (0-93). It was unclear wheth er the beneficial effect of CaCl2 was a result of increasing Ca+2 conc entration (36-336 mg/L), increasing Cl- concentration (639-1,296 mg/L) , or both. The concentration of total dissolved solids (''salinity'') appears to be the single most important consideration in estimating th e red drum aquaculture potential of a groundwater with the optimum sal inity being 5-15 ppt. Concentrations of arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), du amium (Cr), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb), and selenium (Se) tended to be hi gher in west Texas groundwaters than in typical U. S. surface waters. However, based on current maximum tolerable daily intake recommendatio ns, red drum cultured for 30 d in nest Texas groundwaters contained wh ole-body As, Cd, Cr, Hg, Pb, and Se concentrations that would not pose a substantial health risk to adult human consumers.