The swimming abilities of recently settled post-larvae of Sillaginodes punctata

Sixty-four post-larvae of the King George whiting Sillaginodes punctata were tested in swimming chambers, against one of five flow-through velocities (2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 cm s ^?1) for up to a maximum of 120 min. Fish were determined by regression to have an FV₅₀ (50% fatigue velocity) of 6.0 cm s^?1. No fish survived the full 120 min at 10 cm s^?1. Sixteen individuals were tested in a swimming chamber against a flow-through velocity of 6 cm s ^?1 and allowed to swim to exhaustion. Fish swam between 25 and 538 min with a peak at c . 6–8 h. Total swimming time was not correlated with standard length of fish although the size range examined was narrow. Relative to recent studies on the swimming abilities of late-stage larvae of reef fishes, this study indicates that post-larval King George whiting are weak swimmers. The weak swimming ability of post-larval King George whiting is consistent with studies showing passive dispersal and recruitment of this species.