Energetic performance and growth of Tripneustes ventricosus under variable water quality conditions: implications for aquaculture

Abstract Tripneustes ventricosus (Lamarck 1816) is one of the largest and most commercially valuable sea urchins in the Caribbean. This study examined the effects of key water quality parameters on the energetic physiology of adult individuals under controlled conditions to establish the basis for their reproductive conditioning and culture. Three 30-day experiments independently assess the effects of temperature (24, 27, 30 °C), oxygen saturation (55 and 70%), and ammonia concentration (20, 30,