Growth rates in cultured common wolffish (Anarhicahas lupus) and spotted wolffish (A. minor)
Original version
This report is not to be cited without prior reference to the authorsAbstract
Field caught common wolffish (Anarhichas lupus) and spotted wolffish (A.
minor) have been raised from fry on dry pellets. The two species have
experienced annual fluctuations in temperature between 6 and 12 °C and
the results indicates that both species have there best growth rates below
10 °C. With initial average wet weights of 2.6 g (common wolffish) and
6.3 g (spotted wolffish), and at equal experimental conditions, the
spotted wolffish reached four times the wet weight of the common
wolffish over a period of two years and 10 months, 3.4 and 0.9 kg
respectively. The specific growth rate, however, were 0.62 %d^-1 and
0. 58 %d^-1 respectively, indicating only small differences in growth rates
in that period. Estimates based upon the fastest growing fish in the
experimental groups indicated that at optimum temperature conditions
(approx 6 °C) the spotted wolffish will probably reach a total wet weight of
6 kg in two years from start-feeding, while the common wolffish (below
10 °C) will reach a weight of 3 kg in that same period. The common
wolffish mature at a size from 0. 5 - 1. 0 kg, while the spotted wolffish
mature at a size above 4 kg.