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Effect of dietary protein level on the growth and survival of pre‐adult freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens) in monosex culture
Author(s) -
Cortésjacinto E,
Villarrealcolmenares H,
Civeracerecedo R,
Naranjopáramo J
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2109.2004.00988.x
Subject(s) - cherax quadricarinatus , crayfish , biology , zoology , fishery
Feeding trials with five levels of crude protein (CP) (22%, 27%, 33%, 39%, and 45%) and digestible energy ranging from 14.32 to 15.21 kJ g −1 were carried out to determine optimum dietary protein for the growth and production of pre‐adult freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus . Triplicate groups of males (ω=23.1±0.58 g) and females (ω=21.8±0.33 g) were fed diets for 70 days in monosex culture. Optimal digestible protein (DP) was estimated for males by fitting mean weight gain to a quadratic model ( y =27.86+0.839 x –0.0216 x 2 , r 2 =0.945), and a linear model for females ( y =32.84–0.0745 x , r 2 =0.959). Optimal male growth occurred with 25.6% CP, equivalent to 19.4% DP. Male crayfish attained significantly higher final weights and absolute growth rate than females fed the 22%, 27%, and 33% CP diets. The results indicated that a 19.4% DP diet, with a P/E ratio of 11.4 mg kJ −1 , produces an optimum growth response for pre‐adult C. quadricarinatus under experimental conditions.