Influence of Egg Characteristics on Survival, Growth and Feeding in Larval Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum)

A subsample of eggs from 109 walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) from Crean Lake, Saskatchewan, was sieved soon after fertilization to yield four groups of eggs ranging in size from 4.86 to 5.62 mm3. Overall egg size tended to correspond to yolk and oil volumes. At hatching, larvae from the eggs with the least yolk and oil were significantly shorter than larvae from all other egg groups. At the end of the experiment, 13 d after hatching, the larvae from the eggs with the most yolk were significantly larger than larvae from the other egg groups. Differences in the mean amount of food ingested by larvae were related to initial egg size. The yolk of the smallest eggs was deficient in the (n-3) series of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Larvae from these small eggs had a high level of major body deformities and a mortality rate which reached 100% by day 10. Small egg size in itself did not appear disadvantageous; larvae from a different stock (Lake of the Prairies, Manitoba) which produced eggs with a mean size less t...