Comparison of some developmental nutritional behavioral and health factors relevant to stocking of striped mullet (Mugildae) sheepshead (Sparidae) common snook (Centropomidae) and Nassau groupers (Serranidae)

Striped mullet (Mugil cephalus, family Mugilidae) are temperate to tropical (Table 1), euryhaline (Table 2), schooling, very omnivorous, coastal fish that eat detritus and a wide range of other organic material. Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus, family Sparidae) are temperate to tropical, euryhaline, territorial, omnivorous, coastal fish that are more specialized in feeding; crustaceans and mollusks are important in their diet. Common snook (Centropomus undecimalis, family Centropomidae) are tropical, euryhaline, schooling, carnivorous, coastal fish that eat mainly fish and crustaceans. Nassau groupers (Epinephelus striatus, family Serranidae) are tropical to temperate, moderately stenohaline, territorial, carnivorous, reef fish that eat mainly fish, crustaceans, and molluscs. We (Tucker, 1998) have raised these species to ages of more than 7, 13, 15, and 15 years (mullet, grouper, sheepshead, snook, respectively).