THE INFLUENCE OF WATER TEMPERATURE ON LABORATORY-REARED LAKE MINNOW EUPALLASELLA PERENURUS (PALLAS) LARVAE AND JUVENILES

The growth, condition and survival of live food-fed larvae and starter-fed early juveniles of the critically endangered cyprinid Eupallasella perenurus (Pallas) were evaluated in two laboratory experiments at 19, 22, 25, and 28C. Temperature significantly (P 0.05) influenced the growth of larvae, with the maximum final values recorded at 25C (25.8 mm mean total length, TL; 239 mg mean body weight, BW). No significant differences in the final juvenile fish size were found within the temperature range of 19-25C (37.6-38.4 mm TL; 901-968 mg BW), whereas those at 28C grew slower (34.6 mm TL; 819 mg BW). The final condition coefficient values tended to significantly increase along with water temperature. Final survival rates were 96.5-100%, except for juveniles at 28C (28.3%). All of the present results indicate that the most advantageous temperature conditions for E. perenurus controlled rearing would be 25 and 22C for larvae and juveniles, respectively. 1