Ascertaining the potential effects of temperature on growth,survival and feeding of different juvenile clown fish

Objective:To determine the physiological and ecological responses of marine ornamental fishes to the change of water temperature with its potential effects on the growth,survival and feeding in clown fish.Methods:Three different sea anemone fish(Premnas biaculeatus,Amphiprion clarkii,Amphiprion akallopisos)were reared in confinement at water temperatures of 26,28,30,32,and 34℃using thermostat and they were maintained up to the marketable size,and growth,survival and feeding were evaluated during the experimental period.Results:The results illustrated that water temperature influenced the physiological performance of juveniles of three different sea anemone fish significantly.The growth and survival rates of juveniles of three different clown fish significantly increased with the increase of water temperature from 26℃to 34℃(P<0.05).Water temperature also influenced the feeding of three different clown fish significantly with feed conversion ratio increased from(0.071±0.020),(0.075±0.030)and(0.079±0.028)to(0.057±0.040),(0.047±0.030)and(0.045±0.028)for Premnas biaculeatus,Amphiprion clarkii and Amphiprion akallopisos respectively with increase of water temperature from 26℃to 34℃(P<0.05).Specific growth rates(P<0.05)increased significantly with increase of water temperature and positively correlated with the feed conversion ratio,indicating that growth rates are significantly increased with increase of temperature.Conclusions:This study deliberately reveals that the physiological response of juveniles of clown fish as the change of water temperature and substantiated that water temperature influenced juvenile growth,survival and feeding significantly.This study also put forward that the reduced growth,survival and feeding of juveniles at lower temperature which have ecological impacts on clown fish juveniles in settlement and population replacement in the wild.