Effects of feeding rates on the growth, survival and feed utilization of hatchery-reared juvenile spotted babylon Babylonia areolata Link 1807 in a flowthrough seawater system
Aquaculture
Research, 32(9): 689-692
Abstract:
The effects of feeding levels on the growth, survival
and feed utilization of hatchery-reared juvenile Babylonia areolata
Link 1807 were assessed at four daily rations of 3%, 5%, 10% and 15% of body
weight. Three duplicated groups of juveniles (mean initial body weight 0.26 ± 0.3 g)
were stocked into indoor rearing tanks supplied with a flowthrough system of
ambient natural seawater for 150 days. Growth in body weight differed
significantly (P < 0.05) among the various feeding
levels. Final body weight of individual snails increased with increased
feeding ration at a particular ration level. Meanwhile, increasing the daily
ration to 10% and 15% significantly improved growth and feed utilization
efficiency. The food conversion ratios (FCRs) for the 3% and 5% feeding
levels were significantly lower than those for the other feeding levels.
Final survival was best at feeding levels of 10% and 15% of body weight,
ranging between 96.9% and 97.3%, but was very poor at the 3% and 5% feeding
levels, ranging from only 49.5% to 54.8%.
(Aquatic Resources Research Institute, Chulalongkorn
University, Bangkok, Thailand 10330)