Factors affecting mark quality of alizarin complexone-stained otoliths in juvenile black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri and a prescription for dosage

Abstract

The relationships between otolith score, a function of increasing stain visibility, and the ratio of alizarin complexone (mg) to fish biomass (g) for 0·1, 0·6 and 7 g black bream Acanthopagrus butcheri show that acceptable marks are produced in all size classes using a stain-to-biomass ratio of 3·3 mg g−1 following an immersion period of 24 h.