Coral Larval Aquaculture: Species-Specific Survival and Microbial Dynamics in Flow-Through Systems

In 2022, we reared Acropora sp. nov. aff. kenti and Acropora spathulata larvae for seven days under different stocking densities (0.3, 1.0, or 2.0 larvae mL-1), water volume turnover rates (0.2 or 0.6 vol. hr-1), and with or without UV sterilization and surface agitation, to evaluate their effects on larval survival. We monitored larval density using density counts as well as larval appearance and size via microphotography. We took water samples for analysis of particulate and dissolved nutrients. We filtered water to collect bacteria and virus and measure their abundance using droplet digital PCR. We sequenced the 16S region of rDNA to characterize the microbial community in the larval cultures.