EFFECT OF DIFFERENT DIETS ON GROWTH RATE OF THE RED SWAMP CRAYFISH, PROCAMBARUS CLARKII UNDER LABORATORYCONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries

2 Anim. Prod. Dept, Fac. Agric, Cairo Univ

3 Food Technology Cent. Lab. Agric, Research Center.

Abstract

The growth response of juvenile crayfish , Procambarus clar kii to different fresh diets available from agriculture and freshwater ecosystem was examined under controlled conditions . These diets were fresh sweet potato tubers, Ipomaea batatas, fresh leaves of lettuce, Lactuca sativa , fresh fish meat from mosquitofish, Gambusia qfflniS) and all possible combinations of those ingredients for about two months. After 40 days, the results showed a significantly higher growth rate (p < 0,05 ) in both length and weight in crayfish fed with fresh fish meat The differences were not significant between other treatments, but those which included fish meat induced consistently higher growth rates than those based only on plant ingredients . These results suggest that a dietary supplement based on animal source might significantly improve the growth rate of the crayfish, However, it was not clear whether this was because of protein or lipid components and composition of mosquito fish meat.

Keywords

Main Subjects