Comparative study of lipids and fatty acids in the liver, muscle, and eggs of wild and captive common snook broodstock

In this study, the lipid composition of wild and captive common snook broodstock was investigated to identify potential nutritional deficiencies and formulate suitable diets for captive stocks. Results showed that captive snook incorporated significantly more lipid than their wild counterparts. However, cholesterol and arachidonic acid (ARA) levels were significantly lower compared to wild fish, which may impact steroid and prostaglandin production, reproductive behavior and gametogenesis. In eggs obtained from captive broodstock, high docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels, associated with low ARA contents were found. As a result, ARA/EPA ratio in captive eggs was less than half of that in wild eggs with the potential for negative consequences on embryo and larval development. In conclusion, large differences were noticed between wild and captive broodstock that may contribute to the reproductive dysfunctions observed in captive snook broodstock (e.g. incomplete oocyte maturation, low milt production and highly variable egg and larval quality). The wild snook survey also identified the presence of hydrocarbons in the liver, which should be further studied to identify a potential impact on the reproductive performances of a vulnerable population like common snook.