267
in the ornamental aquaculture trade also requires organisms of similar characters,
specifically size and ease of care. The small adult body size, benthic habit and good
adaptability to culture conditions of Euprymna are prominent character suites that
are well adapted to the aforementioned purposes. Based on such qualities, bobtail
squids should be cultured on a small scale in order to reduce the cost of production.
Additionally, a small-scale culture has advantages of the reduced size and benthic
habits of the squids. The variety of flow-through open or closed seawater systems
can yield different results and should be further studied to better quantify which
systems are best for maximising production and those appropriate for each species.
Culture of Euprymna similarly encounters a bottleneck during the nursing
phase similar to other cephalopods, since young innately feed on live feed. Future
research should focus on developing feeds, both live and artificial. However, smallscale culture of live food organisms is more appropriate for small-scale culture of
Euprymna in view of low operating costs at present. Development of artificial feed
is necessary to reduce costs, but it could be postponed on a small scale. Artificial
feed for cephalopods has not been commercially developed anywhere, but many
studies are being completed, focusing on species that are aimed to be cultured as
human food. Investigating various types of feed may give insight as to whether
bobtail squids can also use artificial feed in such a manner.
E� hyllebergi and E� tasmanica can be cultured through multiple consecutive
generations (3 generations for both E� hyllebergi and E� tasmanica) with similar
growth rates (under similar conditions) without apparent effects of inbreeding on
decreased growth (Nabhitabhata et al. 2005). Similar growth among generations
enables a reliable supply of broodstocks for aquaculture and provides an alternative to continued fishing for wild-caught specimens, which can be time consuming
and costly. However, the feasibility of inbreeding effects on decreasing of growth
and fertility must be considered when producing future generations from the same
broodstock. Broodstocks cannot rely solely on cultured batches, and wild broodstocks should be added intermittently to provide both genetic variation and possibly
the induction of beneficial microbes that are necessary to keep squid healthy during
their lifetime. Growth in captivity and culture methodology of both E� hyllebergi
and E� tasmanica as well as their congeners should be further studied in views
of maximising the aquaculture production and increasing our ability to provide a
useful resource for a variety of research studies as well as the development of model
aquaculture cephalopods.
15.8 Conclusions
The ability to maintain and grow small benthic squids such as Euprymna has
opened up a new avenue for instigating the use of these animals as model systems in
both bioengineering (adhesion) and biomedical (beneficial bacteria) research. The
requirements for housing, maintaining and raising sepiolids is minimal and not as
costly as other, more gregarious squid species, and this allows laboratories to set up
facilities that may not necessarily be close to the ocean (such as NMSU). Presently,
there are 14 laboratories in the USA alone that have culture facilities for raising
15 Euprymna hyllebergi and Euprymna tasmanica
in the ornamental aquaculture trade also requires organisms of similar characters,
specifically size and ease of care. The small adult body size, benthic habit and good
adaptability to culture conditions of Euprymna are prominent character suites that
are well adapted to the aforementioned purposes. Based on such qualities, bobtail
squids should be cultured on a small scale in order to reduce the cost of production.
Additionally, a small-scale culture has advantages of the reduced size and benthic
habits of the squids. The variety of flow-through open or closed seawater systems
can yield different results and should be further studied to better quantify which
systems are best for maximising production and those appropriate for each species.
Culture of Euprymna similarly encounters a bottleneck during the nursing
phase similar to other cephalopods, since young innately feed on live feed. Future
research should focus on developing feeds, both live and artificial. However, smallscale culture of live food organisms is more appropriate for small-scale culture of
Euprymna in view of low operating costs at present. Development of artificial feed
is necessary to reduce costs, but it could be postponed on a small scale. Artificial
feed for cephalopods has not been commercially developed anywhere, but many
studies are being completed, focusing on species that are aimed to be cultured as
human food. Investigating various types of feed may give insight as to whether
bobtail squids can also use artificial feed in such a manner.
E� hyllebergi and E� tasmanica can be cultured through multiple consecutive
generations (3 generations for both E� hyllebergi and E� tasmanica) with similar
growth rates (under similar conditions) without apparent effects of inbreeding on
decreased growth (Nabhitabhata et al. 2005). Similar growth among generations
enables a reliable supply of broodstocks for aquaculture and provides an alternative to continued fishing for wild-caught specimens, which can be time consuming
and costly. However, the feasibility of inbreeding effects on decreasing of growth
and fertility must be considered when producing future generations from the same
broodstock. Broodstocks cannot rely solely on cultured batches, and wild broodstocks should be added intermittently to provide both genetic variation and possibly
the induction of beneficial microbes that are necessary to keep squid healthy during
their lifetime. Growth in captivity and culture methodology of both E� hyllebergi
and E� tasmanica as well as their congeners should be further studied in views
of maximising the aquaculture production and increasing our ability to provide a
useful resource for a variety of research studies as well as the development of model
aquaculture cephalopods.
15.8 Conclusions
The ability to maintain and grow small benthic squids such as Euprymna has
opened up a new avenue for instigating the use of these animals as model systems in
both bioengineering (adhesion) and biomedical (beneficial bacteria) research. The
requirements for housing, maintaining and raising sepiolids is minimal and not as
costly as other, more gregarious squid species, and this allows laboratories to set up
facilities that may not necessarily be close to the ocean (such as NMSU). Presently,
there are 14 laboratories in the USA alone that have culture facilities for raising
15 Euprymna hyllebergi and Euprymna tasmanica