Present status of research and production of tiger puffer Takifugu rubripes in Japan
Abstract
The tiger puffer, Takifugu rubripes, is one of the most popular marine finfish cultured in Japan, and has a good market price of 3000
JPY/kg that is three times higher than those for yellowtail and red sea bream. Although aquaculture production of tiger puffer has
been constant for the last 10 years at about 5000 tons a year, the market price has tended to decrease due to increasing imports of
puffers, mostly from China. Tiger puffer has been produced with floating net cages along the coast of southern Japan like other
marine finfish species. One of the most serious problems of cage aquaculture is extremely low productivity due to high mortality
from outbreaks of parasitic diseases. Therefore, some farmers have started producing the fish in land based culture tanks with
running seawater and some are interested in closed recirculating aquaculture. This paper describes the present status of commercial
production of tiger puffer in Japan and available scientific information on optimum water temperature and salinity, proper stocking
density, and nutrition and feeding for grow out. Productivity of tiger puffer in a closed system is also discussed.
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