Abstract
More than 2000 specimens reared in the laboratory were used to observe larval development and growth from hatching to about 10 cm long. Observations of moving time and swimming speed were made for larval and early juvenile stages. Morphological characters of fin development and pigmentation were illustrated in detail. Growth in length was expressed by the equation Y=2.83 +0.15X+0.00247X2 for first 120 days, where Y=standard length in mm and X=days after hatching. Transformation from larvae to juveniles occurred during 9.0 to 11.0 mm standard length (SL). Swimming speed ranged from about 1.0 SL/s for larval stage to 2.0-2.5 SL/s for fish at meta-morphosis. Various characters of digestive tract, squamation and pigment pattern as well as fins developed and differentiated when the larvae transformed to juveniles. The implication of or-ganogenesis, morphogenesis and behavior in the early life stages was discussed.
