Breeding, embryonic development and salinity tolerance of Skunk clownfish Amphiprion akallopisos

Breeding and rearing some of the clownfishes most commonly used in the aquarium trade actually represent an economical and ecological tool for broadening development. Culture of clownfish species in low-saline water is still in its infancy. Salinity of the culture environment is one of the more relevant parameters affecting fish physiology, modifying food intake and growth performance in many fish species. The objective of this study was to breed skunk clownfish (Amphiprion akallopisos) in aquarium condition, document the embryonic development, determine the upper and lower lethal salinities of juveniles, tolerance of five different salinities (20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 ppt) and their effect on the survival rate of larvae. Higher (53–55 ppt) and lower (3–6 ppt) salinities produced loss of appetite and movement, finally leading to mortality in juveniles. In a ninety six hour experiment, larvae showed 100% survival at the salinities of 30 (control) and 35 ppt and 88% survival in 40 ppt salinity and 76% survivals in 20 and 25 ppt. In conclusion juveniles of A. akallopisos exhibit satisfactory rates of survival and no signs of stress in high (up to 53 ppt) and low saline (up to 6 ppt) waters. These results demonstrate that using such salinities, which can reduce the incidence of diseases and mortality, does not produce significant physiological alterations in this species. In addition, descriptive studies on embryonic development and mass scale larval rearing were also carried out during the present study.