A influência do ciclo lunar na frequência de desova do peixe-palhaço

Abstract

The reproduction of marine ornamental fish in captivity is an aquaculture sector still under development, however with great potential due to the high added value of the product and the fact that it doesn’t require large spaces. The Family of Pomacentridae is one of the most important in the marine ornamental fish trade, comprising different species and varieties of clownfish, such as Premna biaculeatus, Amphiprion ocellaris, Amphiprion percula and Amphiprion frenatus, which are widely produced and studied in laboratories due to the ease of handling and maintenance, as well as the larviculture protocol already established. The reproduction of fishes in captivity can be influenced by abiotic fators, such as the lunar cycles, particularly noticeable in fishes of tropical origin. In this sense, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the lunar cycle on the reproduction of clownfish. To this end, over 9 months (Feb to Oct/2022), 563 spawnings of different species of fish of the genus Amphiprion and one species of the genus Premnas, were monitored relating them to the lunar phases. It was possible to verify that the species A. ocellaris was the one that most spawned, followed by P. biaculeatus, A. percula and A. frenatus. The spawning frequency of the clownfish A. ocellaris, variety black snowflake, was significantly influenced by the lunar phases. A greater number of spawnings occurred during the full moon and smaller during the waning moon, possibly due the synchronization of the spawning cycle with the lunar cycle. The other species/varieties didn’t show differences (P>0,05) to the number of spawns in the different lunar phases. The results suggest the influence of the lunar cycle on the spawning of one of the clownfish varieties. However, more studies are needed with an extension of the evaluation period for greater robustness of the data.