The effect of different feeding schemes on mudcrab <i>Scylla serrata</i> larvae fed with <i>Artemia salina</i>

Abstract

The study on the effect of different feeding schemes of mudcrab <i>Scylla serrata</i> fed with <i>Artemia salina</i> was conducted to identify the zoeal stage of S. serrata where an addition of <i>Artemia</i> to the diet results to higher survival, shorter intermoult duration, higher growth index, and shorter metamorphosis to the megalopa stage. All treatments were fed with Brachionus at a density of 20 ind./ml. Results showed that larvae fed with <i>Artemia</i> from day 0 had consistently high percent survival and this is significantly higher compared to other treatments. This was followed by larvae fed with <i>Artemia</i> at day 3 and at day 6. However, statistical analysis showed that there is no significant difference between the two treatments. Significantly low percent survival was obtained on larvae fed with <i>Artemia</i> at day 9. Results also showed that larvae fed with <i>Artemia</i> at day 0 metamorphosed to megalopa stage after 18 days and obtained the shortest average intermoult duration of 3.6 days and highest growth index of 5 6. This was followed by larvae fed with <i>Artemia</i> at day 3, day 6, and day 9. <i>Artemia</i> has high nutritive value which contributed to high survival, shorter intermoult period, high growth index and shorter metamorphosis period up to the megalopa stage.