Captive-bred Candy Bass Headed to Market

by | Sep 26, 2012 | Aquaculture, Fish | 0 comments

The first captive-bred candy bass, Liopropoma carmabi, has finally reached market size and is headed to Dynasty Marine today – and it only took 9 months!  Although the genes of this little survivor probably belong back in broodstock, the idea of a captive-bred candy bass being for sale in the marine aquarium trade is too exciting to pass up.

Young candy bass ready to ship

As with the first captive swiss guards released last spring, the ultimate recipient will also receive a signed baby (larval) picture and a personal letter of thanks for helping to support marine ornamental aquaculture. Although three L. carmabi actually reached settlement at the Long Island Aquarium last spring, we lost one soon after and one has failed to develop a normal swim bladder leaving it with buoyancy problems. This leaves just one perfect, healthy specimen from last year’s efforts as we enter the spawning season and prepare to try again. Hopefully I’ll produce a better yield this year and hopefully Forrest Young will get top dollar for this one-of-a-kind fish.

Larval candy bass close to settlement

  • Todd Gardner

    Todd Gardner is a professor of Aquaculture and Marine Biology at Carteret Community College in Morehead City, North Carolina where he oversees a partnership between the college and The Biota Group, a world leader in sustainably cultured marine life. Todd's life and career have been shaped by his passion for ocean life and he has written numerous scientific and popular articles about his research and experiences collecting, keeping, and culturing marine organisms. Todd’s professional background includes work on a National Geographic documentary, commercial aquaculture at C-quest Hatchery in Puerto Rico, and an 11-year term at the Long Island Aquarium where he spent much of his time developing techniques for rearing marine fish larvae. To date he has raised more than 50 species. In 2013 Todd received the prestigious Aquarist of the Year Award from the Marine Aquarium Society of North America (MASNA). In his spare time, Todd dives, photographs marine life, runs marathons, and makes music.

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