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Leptocephalus eel larvae will feed in aquaria

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Synopsis

Premetamorphosing larvae of Muraenesox cinereus (Muraenesocidae) and Conger myriaster (Congridae), caught and kept alive in aquaria, repeatedly bit pieces out of a lump of squid paste. By coloring the paste with Brilliant Red, ingestion and defecation were clearly seen through the transparent gut. The paste is not their natural food, but nevertheless a possible food item for rearing eels from eggs; most previous efforts have failed inasmuch as the larvae have starved.

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Mochioka, N., Iwamizu, M. & Kanda, T. Leptocephalus eel larvae will feed in aquaria. Environ Biol Fish 36, 381–384 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00012416

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00012416

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