Cría en cautividad del pez de San Pedro, Zeus faber (Linnaeus, 1758)

An artificial fertilization of the Zeus faber was realised by stripping of 2 females and 4 males. Photographs were taken and the principal stages of embryonic and larval development were identified. The eggs were 1.99 ± 0.036 mm of diameter, totally spherical, with a clear and unsculptured eggshell, a narrow perivitelline space and a single oil globule of 0.41 ± 0.014 mm of diameter; incubation was realised to a temperature of 16 ± 0.5 °C and hatching took place on the 11th (176 degrees/day ± 5). The larvae measured 4,3 ± 0,21 mm of length at hatching and were maintained during 20 days to 19,5 ± 0,5 °C. They fed Artemia salina from the fourth day after to hatch (two days after the reabsorption of the yolk-sac). The larvae presented an extensive pigmentation with two typical spots in the dorsal and anal fins; the pigmentation was in increase along the development except in the caudal fin and last vertebral segments and the pelvic fins were shaped large and colourful. The biometric measures indicated an important increase in the height growth whereas the total length increased very slightly for the first days of life.