Combined Effects of Diet and Salinity on European Sea Bass Larvae Dicentrarchus labrax

Effects of diet, salinity, and consumption of endogenous reserves on the growth, survival and swim bladder inflation of European sea‐bass larvae were studied. Primary inflation of the swim bladder occurs in 7‐day‐old larvae. Inflation is synchronized with the absorption of endogenous reserves. The kinetics of the consumption of these reserves varies with the diets tested, and is the slowest at higher salinity (28.7 and 37.7‰). Best results were obtained with larvae fed on Artemia nauplii. Larvae raised at lower salinity (19.7 and 10.7‰) had the highest proportion of inflated swim bladders. Larvae raised at 28.7‰ salinity had the best survival rate, while those raised at 38.7‰ had the best growth rate. Larval mortality was associated with inappropriate functioning of the swim bladder. Larvae exposed to decreasing salinity during rearing showed very high survival rates and normal swim bladder inflation.