Biological Performance of Red
Porgy (Pagrus pagrus) Larvae under Intensive Rearing Conditions
with the use of an Automated Feeding System
N. Papandroulakis, M. Kentouri-2004
Aquaculture International, 12(2):
191-203
Abstract:
Pagrus pagrus
is one of the promising species for the industry in the Mediterranean but
its rearing is still far from satisfactory. In the present work, the
conditions and results of larval rearing with the use of an automatic
feeding system are presented. Eight populations were reared for 20 days with
the ‘pseudo green water’
methodology in two successive trials. Larvae were fed enriched rotifers
during the entire rearing period, a mixed diet of rotifers and Artemia
(Instar I when larvae reached 5 mm in length, replaced by Instar II after
larvae reached 5.5 mm) and a formulated diet (after day 16 post hatching). A
computerized system for feeding management was used. A total of 388,000 eggs
were incubated and after 20 days, 237,973 larvae (TL = 6.96 ±
0.17 mm) were produced with a survival rate of 61.4 ±
6.3%. Individuals grew in terms of wet weight with an exponential rate of
0.167 ± 0.008 daily (R2
= 0.983) with no variations between replicates. Mean individual daily
consumption at first feeding (day 4-post hatching), was 0.20 ±
0.06 mg of food (0.03 ± 0.01 dry weight),
that is, 180–300 rotifers, while on day 20,
consumption increased by 10 (2.081 ± 0.106
mg and 0.276 ± 0.014 in wet and dry weight,
respectively). When compared with sea bream, consumption was higher by
approximately 3–4-fold. The mean food
conversion ratio of the experimental period was 4. In comparison with sea
bream larviculture, food consumption of red porgy is higher, and a different
feeding strategy is required to satisfy the requirements of the larvae.
(Aquaculture Department, Institute of
Marine Biology of Crete, P.O. Box 2214, GR71003, Heraklion, Crete, Greece,
Tel: +30-81-346860; fax: +30-81-241882, e-mail: npap@imbc.gr)