Aquaculture and early life stages of the Hawaiian Potter's angelfish (Centropyge potteri)

The Potter's angelfish (Centropyge potteri), a Hawaiian endemic reef fish, has long been prized in the global aquarium trade, with approximately 9000 individuals collected annually from the wild before Hawai‘i's 2021 ban on commercial aquarium fish collection. This study marks the first detailed description of aquaculture techniques with replicated results for the species, providing foundational data on larval growth and survival critical for advancing culture techniques for C. potteri and other reef fishes. By iteratively refining feeding protocols, survival rates to settlement improved from 0% to 3.4%, largely by addressing acute mortality points during feed transitions. Egg and larval development closely resembled other Centropyge species, with flexion between 14 and 21 dph, and settlement behaviors observed at ~60 dph. Spawning in captivity followed lunar cycles, with broodstock producing viable eggs nightly from December 2022 to May 2024. Larval rearing trials compared three feeding protocols along with the effects of egg stocking densities and live algae densities. Early development revealed critical vulnerabilities during feed transitions, particularly with newly hatched Artemia and dry feeds, which were mitigated by delayed introductions. Continuous live algae (Tisochrysis lutea) and adult Parvocalanus copepods through settlement were essential for success, while larger tanks (1000 L) improved survival by minimizing environmental stress compared to smaller tanks (200 L). The revised feeding regime supported the highest survival rates with algae densities of 75,000–150,000 cells/mL. The results emphasize the importance of diet composition and timing, environmental stability, and tank management for successful larval rearing. Future research should prioritize pathogenic bacteria control in live feeds and refining feed transitions to further improve aquaculture efficiency. This study aligns with efforts to transition the industry toward sustainable aquaculture practices, reducing pressures on wild populations and supporting reef conservation while offering a scalable model for aquaculture of other high-value reef fish species.