Lutjanus coloarado is subject to heavy fishing pressure on the Mexican Pacific coast, but now its growth in length, weight, and survival in six floating net cages was evaluated for eight months. Three cages were stocked 15 and 30 fish/m3, each. Fish were fed twice a day 3 to 7% of their total body weight with fresh dark meat from Thunnus albacares. Mean initial body weight and length were: sub-adults 117.7±39.2 g with 18.7±2.5 cm, juveniles 79.0 ±32.2 g with 16.8±2.3 cm, and small juveniles 8.7±4.9 g with 7.7±1.5 cm; The final weight and length of sub-adults were 556.8±132.g and 32.6±2.9 cm, juveniles 477.4±134.5 g and 31.1±3.1 cm, and sub-juveniles 230.9±81.4 g and 24.1±2.9 cm. Absolute growth and specific growth rate reached for sub-adults was 1.8±1.4 g/day and 0.7±0.5 %/day, for juveniles 1.6±0.9 g/day and 0.8±0.5%/day, and for small juveniles 0.9±0.8 g/day and 1.4±0.7 %/day. Weight gain was of 445.5±93.2 g, 398.0±102.3 g, and 222±76.5 g for the three sizes stocked. Feed conversion factor was 1.7±0.4, 1.5±0.4, and 1.0±0.4 for the three stocks. Conditions factor was of 1.6±0.2 for adults, 1.7±0.2 for small juveniles. Overall survival rate was 98.9%. Daily temperature ranged from 3 to19°C, dissolved oxygen was from 5 to 6.4 mg/L and salinity from 32 to 35‰. The stocked densities had no adverse effect on growth and survival. This species has potential for aquaculture due to its growth rates and it is resistant to handling and confinement.

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