Spawning of Starved and Fed Red Sea Bream

Abstract

Two groups of one female and two males of red sea bream Pagrus major broodstock were reared under starvation and feeding during the spontaneous spawning period. Both groups produced eggs almost every day through the spawning period. Regrdless of feeding protocol, the size, crude protein and phospholipid (PL) contents of eggs tended to gradually lower with increase in spawning water temperature, while egg triacylglycerol content remained relatively constant throughout the spawning period. Furthermore, the high egg crude protein and PL contents had an ill effect on the rate of buoyant eggs. These results show that red sea bream broodstock perform normal spawning behavior even under starvation through the spawning period and that egg crrde protein and PL contents have a tendency to reflect egg quality of red sea bream.