Biology of Finfish and Shellfish

4.7.1. Developmental Stages of Finfishes

In broad sense, development is a process by which an organism reaches its adulthood. However, unlike other vertebrates, the development in fish is continuous. Development starts right from the moment the egg is fertilized. After several stages of development, the tiny organism attains the maturity (adulthood). The adult organism is capable of producing new life of its own kind. And after reaching the adulthood also the growth process does not ceases.

The eggs and larvae start life that is completely different from the life of the adults. The moment of hatching is in fact the beginning of a hazardous period in the life of all aquatic animals including fishes. It then faces the twin problems of adjusting itself with the physico-chemical factors of the surrounding medium in one hand and to the predators on the other hand. The development of fish is being discussed here in two heads viz. (i) embryonic development and (ii) larval development.