The study, resulting from the doctoral thesis titled ‘Sustainable Trade of Marine Ornamental Fish: Innovative Aquaculture Practices for Public Aquariums’, recently defended at the university institute of ULPGC, presents key advancements for establishing a responsible trade in marine ornamental fish, such as the development of a pioneering egg collection device, among other actions.
Research from the ECOAQUA University Institute, part of the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), provides innovative solutions in the aquaculture sector applicable to public aquariums worldwide. It presents key advancements for establishing a responsible trade in marine ornamental fish, including the development of a pioneering tool for the collection of eggs of pelagic species that optimises large-scale breeding programmes more sustainably.
The study, resulting from a university thesis recently presented at ECOAQUA, is titled ‘Sustainable Trade of Marine Ornamental Fish: Innovative Aquaculture Practices for Public Aquariums’. It was authored by researcher Andrea Martino, an aquarist at the Genoa Aquarium (Italy), and directed by university doctors Daniel Montero, a member of the Aquaculture Research Group (GIA) at the university institute, and Francisco Otero-Ferrer, a member of the Biodiversity and Conservation (BIOCON) group, also from ECOAQUA.
The thesis, developed under the doctoral programme ‘Sustainable Aquaculture and Marine Ecosystems (ACUISEMAR)’ of the ULPGC Doctoral School, achieved the highest grade, outstanding cum laude, alongside international and industrial mentions, recognising both the scientific excellence and the applicability of the results in the sector.
Facing a global market valued in millions of euros and threatened by overexploitation and indiscriminate capture methods, only about 10% of ornamental species are bred in controlled systems. This figure highlights the urgent need to increase the production of species for aquariums under standardised conditions that ensure the welfare of the animals and allow for a reduction in fishing pressure on these species, many of which are from developing countries.
Pioneering Tool
In this thesis, various innovation objectives for ornamental aquaculture installations have been achieved, developing an egg collection device, a pioneering tool that maximises the collection of viable eggs from pelagic species in large-volume aquariums, optimising large-scale breeding programmes more sustainably and resulting in a patent that is currently being processed.
This research also describes the reproductive biology of Pseudochromis fridmani, commonly known as Fridman’s dwarf perch or orchid dottyback, a fish species of high value for aquaristics.
The study reveals in detail the formation of pairs, spawning, and the optimal temperature for reproduction, which has allowed for a reduction in filial cannibalism and an increase in both the fertility and welfare of this species in aquariums.
Finally, the research has also achieved significant advancements in the feeding of the larvae of this species using live food enriched with microalgae through the use of copepods of the species Acartia tonsa, rich in LC-PUFA fatty acids, compared to traditional methods, to enhance growth and larval survival.
The thesis emphasises the key role of public aquariums not only as exhibition centres but also as research laboratories, environmental education centres, and true motors of marine conservation.
With this approach, the path is paved towards a more ethical, profitable, and biodiversity-committed trade. Through this research, ULPGC reinforces its commitment to marine sustainability and technological transfer to aquariums and research centres worldwide.
