Live and inert foods for postlarvae of the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii


S.T. Indulkar, S.G. Belsare-2004

Israeli Journal of Aquaculture-Bamidgeh, 56(1): 45-50  (from ISI Current Contents)

Abstract:
Five live or inert food organisms (adult Artemia, Moina, Tubifex worms, clam meat, poultry egg custard) were evaluated as feed for postlarvae of Macrobrachium rosenbergii. The postlarvae (avg 5.2+/-0.22 mg, 7.2+/-0.38 mm) were reared in plastic pools (0.9 m diameter x 0.6 m) containing 100 I fresh water, stocked at one postlarva per liter for 30 days, with five replicates of each treatment. There were significant differences (p<005) in final weight gains of the postlarvae (62.94-88.86 mg), final length gains (16.45-20.71 mm) and survival (69.67-92.33%). The live Moina were superior to the other foods with a significantly higher weight gain (1708.92+/-54.03%), length gain (287.70+/-4.76%) and specific growth rate (9.45+/-0.1%/d). The higher protein (66.16%) and n-3 HUFA (10.20%) levels in Moina may explain these results.

(Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Agr. Univ., Marine Biol. Res. Stn., Peth Killa Ratnagiri 415612, India, e-mail: indulkarst@rediffmail.com)

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