Reference | Hoey, A. S., and M. I. McCormick. 2006. Effects of subcutaneous fluorescent tags on the growth and survival of a newly settled coral reef fish, Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae). |
Abstract | Mortality rates are often confounded by unaccounted migration, and where tagging is used, tags themselves may bias demographic rates. We examined the retention rate of subcutaneous fluorescent elastomer tags on newly settled Pomacentrus amboinensis (Pomacentridae), and their influence on fish growth and survival. Fish were collected from light traps and marked with either a single tag, double tag or an uncured elastomer tag. There was 100% retention of all tags over the 14-day laboratory experiment. Survival was high for all treatments, ranging from 80% for double-tagged fish, 96% for the unmarked and single-tagged fish, to 100% for those with a single uncured tag. Fish marked with single tags, both cured and uncured, grew as fast as unmarked fish. In contrast, fish with double tags grew slower than the unmarked fish. These results indicate that marking newly settled coral reef fish with a single fluorescent elastomer is a useful means of short-term cohort, or batch, recognition. The high retention rate of the uncured elastomer tags increases the applicability of this technique for marking individuals underwater by alleviating the need to store it below O'C to extend its shelf life. |
Tag | Visible Implant Elastomer (VIE) |
Objective | Evaluate tags |