An open flow aquarium was constructed at Forest Products Research Centre in 1972 in order to study the effect of salinity on the growth and mortality of teredinids. To determine the reliability of results obtained during salinity experiments, the growth rate of teredinids in the aquarium were compared with the growth rate of the same species living under natural conditions in the harbour in 1973. Radiographs showed that the growth rate was much slower and the mortality rate much higher in the aquarium than in the harbour. During this trial the temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and food availability in the aquarium were examined as possible causes of the retarded growth and high mortality. All these environmental factors had appeared to compare favourably with those in the harbour.

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