First Feeding of Cuttlefish Hatchlings: Pioneering Attempts in Captive Breeding

Simple Summary: In this study, the first evidence regarding the possibility of breeding cuttlefish in captivity using dry pellet feed is provided. These results are extremely important because they can meet the increasing demand of the market and thus could limit the reduction in natural stocks due to the growing fishing effort. The results obtained from the pilot study allowed the selection of a commercial pellet-based diet which ensured a similar growth rate and intestinal maturity, with respect to a diet based on frozen krill, which closely resembled the feeding habits of cuttlefish in their natural environment. Furthermore, the administration of this pellet diet does not induce stress in hatchlings/larvae nor induces the activation of antioxidant system genes. Overall, the results are very encouraging and suggest the possibility of undertaking cuttlefish breeding on a larger scale. Abstract: In the last few decades, the cuttlefish market has grown to approximately 14% of the world's fisheries, and operators have begun to express concerns about the decline of this resource. In this context, the production of cuttlefish through aquaculture could offer a diversifying and valuable response to the increasing market demand and help alleviate the environmental pressure on this species. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify a dry, cost-effective, and easy-to-administer diet that can successfully support the initial phases of cuttlefish growth and provide a similar performance to a krill-based diet, which closely mimics their natural diet. To achieve this objective, cuttlefish hatchlings were distributed among different experimental tanks, each receiving one of the five different diets (namely Diets A to E). Mortality and morphological parameters were monitored until day 10 post hatching, and the two most effective diets (Diets A and B) were chosen for further trials. The results indicated that Diet B had similar survival and growth rates to Diet A, which was based on frozen krill. Histological analysis revealed a comparable degree of gut maturity between the organisms fed the two diets. Likewise, levels of amylase and trypsin enzymes and hsp70, cat, and sod mRNA did not exhibit significant differences between the two groups. In conclusion, our findings provide preliminary evidence supporting the possibility of cultivating cuttlefish in captivity using a pelleted diet, representing a promising starting point for larger-scale breeding efforts.