DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY JUVENILES OF Panulirus laevicauda, FED ON MOLLUSCS AND PELLED DIET

Abstract

This experiment was carried out at the Technology Center of Aquaculture, Federal University of Ceara during the period of March 14th, 2006 to July 14th, 2006. The objective of this study was to compare the growth of early juveniles of Panulirus laevicauda, fed on molluscs (Perna perna and Mytella falcata) and pelleted feed. The experiments were delineated and conducted using completely randomized distributions. Three treatments (TA – P. perna, TB – M. falcata and TC – pellet feed) were repeated 4 times. Initial density used was one individual per container. The feed rate was 10 % of the individual biomass. The chemical and physical parameters of the experimental water (pH, temperature and salinity) were measured daily and the juveniles were measured verifying cephalotorax and total length and weighed at each 30 days of culture. For the statistical tests Analysis with Kolmogorov-Smirnov the Student Test (chemical and physical parameters), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and test CHI-SQUARE, were used. In this work chemical and physical parameters did not show differences among the treatments (P > 0.05). At the end of the experiment, growth rate, number and frequency of molts per individual, and survival rate did not show statistical differences (P > 0.05). P. laevicauda has a good acceptance of pelleted feed but other species of lobster did not feed of this type of diets.