Story: Open ocean

Hoki larvae and their food

Hoki larvae and their food

The upper diagram shows the development of hoki from egg to tiny fish. Hoki spawn in winter. The fertilised eggs float up to surface waters, where they become part of the plankton. After about three days they hatch into larvae without mouths. Their mouth develops a few days later, and the tiny hoki begin feeding voraciously on the zooplankton around them. Their preferred food is the tiny crustacean Calocalanus, also pictured here.

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NIWA – National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research

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How to cite this page:

Janet Grieve, 'Open ocean - Fish larvae and the ocean environment', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/diagram/5361/hoki-larvae-and-their-food (accessed 25 April 2024)

Story by Janet Grieve, published 12 Jun 2006