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Abstract
This study aimed to assess the prevalence and characteristics of deformities in four marine fish species at the juvenile stage, including short fin pompano (Trachinotus falcatus), long fin (snubnose) pompano (Trachinotus blochii), barramundi (Lates calcarifer), and golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus), artificially produced in Khanh Hoa, Vietnam. Juvenile fish samples ranging from 3 to 5 cm in size were collected from hatcheries in Cam Ranh and Nha Trang. For each species, samples were obtained from 10 different fish batches throughout the year. Within each batch, three rearing tanks were randomly selected for sampling, with 300 fish/tank. The types of deformities and their prevalence were recorded and compared among species. The results showed significant differences in the overall deformity rate and the prevalence of each deformity type among the studied species. Snubnose pompano had the highest overall deformity rate (10.73%), followed by barramundi (7.28%), while pompano and golden trevally had lower rates of 3.64% and 2.85%, respectively. Within each species, opercular deformities occurred more frequently than other types of deformities. The characteristic signs of each deformity type, including external morphological features and bone staining images, were described in detail. This study provides important information on the malformation rates of several marine fish species at marine fish hatcheries in Khanh Hoa province. The findings will serve as a scientific basis for producers and fisheries management agencies to develop measures to improve the quality of marine fish seedlings produced in the local area.
Keywords: Marine fish, deformities, artificial juveniles, Khanh Hoa, deformity rate