Effect of salinity on reproductive performance of Acanthopagrus latus (Houttuyn) in spawning tanks

More than 250 male and female yellowfin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) were caught in the creeks near the Mahshar area in the north‐west of Persian Gulf using fishhooks to study the effects of salinity on reproductive indices. The experiments were carried out using three salinity treatments (30 ± 1 g L−1, 35 ± 1 g L−1 and 40 ± 1 g L−1) with three replications. A total of six males and three females were randomly introduced to each tank. The survival rate of the broodstock was estimated at more than 90% at different salinity levels and the maximum rate was observed at 30 g L−1 of the experiment rate. The percentage of buoyant eggs was more than 90% at 40 g L−1 and it was significantly different from other treatments. The average number of eggs per female (312 914 ± 65 085), and the average number of eggs per kilogram of female (649 460 ± 173 574) at 40 g L−1 were more than those in the other treatments but no significant differences were observed (P ≤ 0.05). The average percentage of fertilized eggs (86.7%) and the average percentage of hatched larvae (67%) at 40 g L−1 treatment was more than those at 30 g L−1 and 35 g L−1 treatments but no significant differences were observed (P ≤ 0.05). At 40 g L−1 salinity, in all spawning cases, the released eggs were hatched. Overall, the present study has shown that better buoyant eggs of A. latus can be obtained at salinity 40 g L−1. On the other hand, the percentage of fertilized eggs and hatched larvae were not affected by salinity.