Tropical Aquaculture

FIGHTING CONCH, STROMBUS ALATUS AND STROMBUS PUGILUS: NEW FOOD CANDIDATES FOR AQUACULTURE

Research Team:
Megan Davis (HBOI) - Principle Investigator
Amber Shawl (HBOI)

Fighting conch are found along the coasts of North Carolina to Florida, through the Caribbean region, and in the Gulf of Mexico. There are two species of fighting conch, Strombus alatus , the Florida fighting conch, and Strombus pugilus, the West Indian fighting conch. These animals reside in shallow seagrass beds or sand flats. Fighting conch have many of the same characteristics as the queen conch in terms of taste and meat appearance. There are also additional qualities that make them an ideal food candidate:

1. They have a fast growth rate, and will reach 6 cm in 6 - 8 months in a hatchery.

2. They are able to tolerate variable water conditions (mainly salinity and temperature fluctuations) during all stages of their life cycle.

3. The Florida and West Indian fighting conch are not a CITES regulated species.

Fighting conch reach sexual maturity around one year of age when they are 6-8 cm in length. Once the male and female mate, the female will lay an egg mass that will hatch three to four days later. The veligers develop in the water column for 3 - 4 weeks, then settle into their nursery habitat. Fighting conch are raised in captivity at Harbor Branch. Adults regularly lay egg masses which are cultured to the juvenile stage. Juveniles are raised on sand, in custom-designed, recirculating nursery and growout systems.