The effect of feeding frequencies and amount artificial food in mud crab larvae rearing (Scylla paramamosain Estampador 1949)
Abstract
The study aimed to determine the effect of feeding frequencies and amount of artificial food for the growth and survival rate in mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) larvae rearing. Feeding frequencies were examined among 4 treatments: 1 time artificial food + 5 times Artemia, 2 times artificial food + 4 times Artemia, 3 times artificial food + 3 times Artemia. The amount of artificial food determined through experiment with 4 treatments: 0.5 g/m3/time, 1 g/m3/time, 1.5 g/m3/time, 2 g/m3/time. The experiments were randomized in composite tanks, 3 replications for each treatment. The result of the first experiment showed that, after 21 days of rearing, the larvae stage index (LSI) and survival rate of larvae from zoea 1 to C1 were significant difference (p<0.05), the highest value was observed at 3 times feeding on artificial food and 3 times Artemia a day. The larval survival rate in the second experiment were significant difference between treatments (p<0.05) of which the highest value was observed at 1 g/m3/time and 1.5 g/m3/time. These results indicated that combined 3 times feeding on artificial food plus 3 times Artemia and 1 – 1.5 g artificial food/m3/time showed the best growth performance and survival rate in mud crab larvae rearing.
