| abstract |
In a process for mariculture of abalone, the male and female abalone are pretreated prior to spawning with one or more antibiotics in a seawater bath that is essentially bacteria-free. Eggs are filtered from the bath in which spawned and fertilized, and placed in a hatching bath of essentially bacteria-free seawater containing one or more antibiotics. After the eggs hatch, and the larvae have broken away from their respective cases, the larvae are transferred, free of egg debris, to a third bath of essentially bacteria-free seawater containing one or more antibiotics and selected beneficial antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria which are separately cultured and which control ammonia and provide other benefits. Upon development to a settlement stage, the larvae are transferred to a final settlement bath of essentially bacteria-free seawater containing one or more antibiotics and selected beneficial antibiotic-resistant strains of which induce settlement, are a source of food for the duration of larval development and subsequent early growth of the abalone, and help control the level of toxic ammonia to within acceptable levels. |