Hoey, Andrew S., and McCormick, Mark I. (2006) Effects of subcutaneous fluorescent tags on the growth and survival of a newly settled coral reef fish, Pomacentrus amboiensis (Pomacentridae). In: Proceedings of 10th International Coral Reef Symposium. pp. 420-424. From: 10th International Coral Reef Symposium, 28 June-2 July 2004, Okinawa Convention Center, Okinawa, Japan.

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Abstract

Mortality rates are often confounded by unaccounted migration, and where tagging is used, tags themselves may bias demographic rates. We examined the retention rate of subcutaneous fluorescent elastomer tags on newly settled POl7lacentrus amboinel1sis (Pomacentridae), and their influence on fish growth and survival. Fish were collected from light traps and marked with either a single tag, double tag or an uncured elastomer tag. There was 100% retention of all tags over the 14-day laboratory experiment. Survival was high for all treatments, ranging from 80% for double-tagged fish, 96% for the unmarked and single-tagged fish, to 100% for those with a single uncured tag. Fish marked with single tags, both cured and uncured. grew as fast as unmarked fish. In contrast, fish with double tags grew slower than the unmarked fish. These results indicate that marking newly settled coral reef fish with a single fluorescent elastomer is a useful means of short-term cohort, or balch, recognition. The high retention rate of the uncured elastomer tags increases the applicability of this technique for marking individuals underwater by alleviating the need to store it below O degree C to extend its shelf life.

Item ID:	4247
Item Type:	Conference Item (Research - E1)
Keywords:	fluorescent elastomer; mortality; growth; tag retention; tropical reef fish; newly settled
Date Deposited:	20 Oct 2009 05:45
SEO Codes:	96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960802 Coastal and Estuarine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 100%
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