Preliminary observations on the tank and pond culture of the glass eels ofthe Australian shortfin eel, Anguilla australis Richardson

There is expanding interest in the culture of the Australian shortfin eel A nguilla australis Richardson; however, there is a lack of fundamental biolo gy and husbandry information necessary to further develop an industry withi n Australia. The present study was undertaken to gain a preliminary underst anding of basic husbandry requirements for rearing of juvenile A. australis (glass eels and elvers) in tanks and earthen ponds. Newly caught glass eel s were successfully acclimated to culture conditions. During tank culture t rials, specific growth rates (SGR) and survival rates ranged from -2.1 to 2 .8% day(-1) and 52% to 100% respectively. Glass eels weaned onto a commerci al eel diet exhibited a significantly greater SGR and survival rate than th ose weaned onto a commercial trout diet. Glass eels weaned onto an eel diet over a 15-day period grew slightly faster than eels weaned over a 5-day pe riod, but survival rates were not significantly different for each treatmen t. SGRs (up to 2.8% day(-1)) were significantly higher for glass eels fed a t 9 and 12% day(-1) than at 6% day(-1). Stocking densities between 2.5 kg m (-3) and 30 kg m(-3) did not influence either SGR or survival rates. SGRs w ere significantly higher for glass eels cultured at 25 degreesC than at low er temperatures. During pond culture trials, SGRs and survival rates ranged from 1.36 to 1.65% day(-1) and 39% to 77% respectively. The SGR and surviv al rates of juvenile eels stocked into ponds receiving supplementary feedin g with a commercial eel diet were not significantly different to those of e els stocked into ponds that did not receive supplementary feeding.