Life History: The larvae of the Pacific oyster are planktotrophic, and are about 70 µm at the prodissoconch 1 stage. The larvae move through the water column via the use of a larval foot to find suitable settlement locations. They can spend several weeks at this phase, which is dependent on water temperature, salinity and food supply. Over these weeks, larvae can disperse great distances by water currents before they metamorphose and settle as small spat. Once a Pacific oyster larva finds a suitable habitat, it attaches to it permanently using cement secreted from a gland in its foot. After settlement, the larva metamorphoses into a juvenile spat. The growth rate is very rapid in optimum environmental conditions, and market size can be achieved in 18 to 30 months.
A combination of environmental parameters including temperature, pH, salinity and availability of settlement strata affect when and where spats settle. Hatechers often grind old oyster shells and sieve to get shell particles about 1 mm in size. Single spats settle on these shell particles creating oysters that can be served on the half shell.
e.
A combination of environmental parameters including temperature, pH, salinity and availability of settlement strata affect when and where spats settle. Hatechers often grind old oyster shells and sieve to get shell particles about 1 mm in size. Single spats settle on these shell particles creating oysters that can be served on the half shell.
e.