Biology of the bait fishes Spratelloides delicatulvs (Bennet) and S. Japonicus (Houttuyn) from Minicoy waters

Abstract

Spratelloides delicatulus is considered to be an excellent bait fish by Hawaiian fishermen (June 1951, Ikehara 1953, June and Reintjes 1953). This species, however, does not contribute to a good percentage of the bait fish catch in Hawaii but whenever Stolephorus purpureus is not available as bait sufficiently, sprats are captured and made use as bait (Welsh 1950). S. delicatulus is the widely used sprat in the Indo-Pacific. Its poor survival in captivity is the main handicap (Ikehara 1953, June and Reintjes 1953, Wilson 1971, Lee 1973). Occurrence of this species is very seasonal in the Pacific Ocean and is available more during summer months (Welsh 1950, June 1951 Wilson 1963). Hida (1971) noted that S. delicatulus was abundant in lagoons of large atolls in Micronesia.