Breeding, rearing and sea-ranching of chanks

Abstract

The heavy demand, concomitant with specific expldltattoti as welt as bottom trawling led to habitat destruction and depletion oj sacred chank Xancus pyrum. Experiments conducted to study the natural growth and breeding aspects indicate that during March and November, the chanks release egg capsules containing fertilised eggs. The deuelopment is direct and the babies hatch out after 32 to 35 days of incubation at an ambient temperature 30.7°C. During their early stages, they feed on oligochaete and polychaete worms. From an initial 9.09 mm, they grow to 62.23mm In an year, while the MSD increased to 27.40 mm. They weighedfrom 0,14 to 32.36 g during one year. Chanks are non-migratory and their natural growth in sea indicated an average MSD growth ofS.Omm/yearforXancus pyrum var. acuta.