386
C. Rosas et al.
32 days. Octopuses were held in three outdoor tanks with 19.6 m
2
of bottom area
and 0.5 m water depth, with aerated seawater and water flow allowing 10 % of water exchange per day. Initial density was between 2.9 and 3.8 kg m
− 3
with different
initial mean weight of 542.3 ± 18.8, 493 ± 11.9 and 321 ± 7.8 g, for trials 1, 2 and 3,
respectively. Specific growth rate varied between 1.8 and 2.7 % body weight (BW)
day
− 1
with no apparent relationship with the culture temperature. Results showed
that the tanks used and water quality at the UNAM facilities were adequate for
the growing of O� maya juveniles, with commercial size being attained in a few
weeks after the wild juveniles were captured (Domingues et al. 2012). This led to a
formal research programme being developed to culture O� maya at the UNAM. In
this programme, the spouses of the fishermen were included. Integrating the fishing community into the aquaculture operation was considered to be a key element
of technological transference to the social sector of Yucatán, México. Considering
that nowadays in Yucatán the octopus fisheries is around 10,000 t year
− 1
of animals larger than 450 g, we designed the culture technology to obtain animals with
smaller weights than those obtained from the fisheries. To date, the UNAM facility
is producing animals lower than 250 g in living weight (LW), in an attempt to cover
the gourmet octopus market that cannot be supplied by the fisheries. The present
chapter presents a review of the actual status and bottlenecks of O� maya culture.
20.2 Conditions for Maturation, Spawn and Embryo
Development
Only functionally mature females are selected to spawn under controlled conditions. Functional maturation is recognized when the oocytes are located in the reproductive coelom of the female and can be seen as small eggs. This is the phase
of vitellogenesis before spawning (Arkhipkin 1992). The gonadosomatic index of
vitellogenic females is > 2 % (Rosas et al. 2012). One week before being transferred
to the functional maturation area, wild or cultured females are placed with males in
outdoor tanks just to be sure that they will have enough spermatic material to ensure
maximum fecundity of oocytes. The functional maturation facility was designed to
maintain a 10:14 h red light–dark photoperiod. A light intensity of 30 Lx cm
− 2
is
maintained at the surface of the tank to reduce female stress. Tanks are connected
to a recirculation seawater system, in which seawater is filtered through an anthracite earth filter, UV and protein skimmer. Seawater temperature was maintained at
24–26 °C, since we observed higher temperatures can inhibit vitellogenesis.
O� maya females > 500 g wet weight (WW) are individually placed in a 320-L
dark tank, where a fibreglass box is offered as a refuge and posterior spawning
nest (Rosas et al. 2008a; Fig. 20.1). Other refuges or nests can also be used to
obtain spawns of O� maya, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes (100 mm diameter), and different types of pots and cages. Different food types were used to
feed females during functional maturity. At the beginning of the programme when
only wild females where used for hatchling production, animals were fed frozen
C. Rosas et al.
32 days. Octopuses were held in three outdoor tanks with 19.6 m
2
of bottom area
and 0.5 m water depth, with aerated seawater and water flow allowing 10 % of water exchange per day. Initial density was between 2.9 and 3.8 kg m
− 3
with different
initial mean weight of 542.3 ± 18.8, 493 ± 11.9 and 321 ± 7.8 g, for trials 1, 2 and 3,
respectively. Specific growth rate varied between 1.8 and 2.7 % body weight (BW)
day
− 1
with no apparent relationship with the culture temperature. Results showed
that the tanks used and water quality at the UNAM facilities were adequate for
the growing of O� maya juveniles, with commercial size being attained in a few
weeks after the wild juveniles were captured (Domingues et al. 2012). This led to a
formal research programme being developed to culture O� maya at the UNAM. In
this programme, the spouses of the fishermen were included. Integrating the fishing community into the aquaculture operation was considered to be a key element
of technological transference to the social sector of Yucatán, México. Considering
that nowadays in Yucatán the octopus fisheries is around 10,000 t year
− 1
of animals larger than 450 g, we designed the culture technology to obtain animals with
smaller weights than those obtained from the fisheries. To date, the UNAM facility
is producing animals lower than 250 g in living weight (LW), in an attempt to cover
the gourmet octopus market that cannot be supplied by the fisheries. The present
chapter presents a review of the actual status and bottlenecks of O� maya culture.
20.2 Conditions for Maturation, Spawn and Embryo
Development
Only functionally mature females are selected to spawn under controlled conditions. Functional maturation is recognized when the oocytes are located in the reproductive coelom of the female and can be seen as small eggs. This is the phase
of vitellogenesis before spawning (Arkhipkin 1992). The gonadosomatic index of
vitellogenic females is > 2 % (Rosas et al. 2012). One week before being transferred
to the functional maturation area, wild or cultured females are placed with males in
outdoor tanks just to be sure that they will have enough spermatic material to ensure
maximum fecundity of oocytes. The functional maturation facility was designed to
maintain a 10:14 h red light–dark photoperiod. A light intensity of 30 Lx cm
− 2
is
maintained at the surface of the tank to reduce female stress. Tanks are connected
to a recirculation seawater system, in which seawater is filtered through an anthracite earth filter, UV and protein skimmer. Seawater temperature was maintained at
24–26 °C, since we observed higher temperatures can inhibit vitellogenesis.
O� maya females > 500 g wet weight (WW) are individually placed in a 320-L
dark tank, where a fibreglass box is offered as a refuge and posterior spawning
nest (Rosas et al. 2008a; Fig. 20.1). Other refuges or nests can also be used to
obtain spawns of O� maya, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes (100 mm diameter), and different types of pots and cages. Different food types were used to
feed females during functional maturity. At the beginning of the programme when
only wild females where used for hatchling production, animals were fed frozen