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Effects of feeding practical diets containing various protein levels on growth, survival, body composition, and processing traits of Australian red claw crayfish ( Cherax quadricarinatus ) and on pond water quality
Author(s) -
Thompson Kenneth R,
Muzinic Laura A,
Engler Linda S,
Morton ShaRhonda,
Webster Carl D
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.1365-2109.2004.01063.x
Subject(s) - cherax quadricarinatus , biology , claw , crayfish , zoology , juvenile , feed conversion ratio , composition (language) , weight gain , body weight , fishery , ecology , endocrinology , linguistics , philosophy
A 117‐day feeding trial was conducted in ponds with juvenile Australian red claw crayfish ( Cherax quadricarinatus ) to evaluate the effects on growth, survival, body composition, and processing traits when fed diets containing three different protein levels (22%, 32%, and 42%), and the effects of feeding these diets on pond water quality. Juvenile crayfish (mean weight of 4.6±2.2 g) were randomly stocked into nine 0.02‐ha ponds at a rate of 500 per pond (25 000 ha −1 ), and each diet was fed to three ponds. There were two feedings per day, each consisting of one‐half of the total daily ration. At harvest, there were no significant differences ( P >0.05) in the individual weight, percentage weight gain, or specific growth rate among treatments, which averaged 75.3 g, 1535%, and 2.38% day −1 respectively. Red claw fed the 42% crude protein diet had significantly higher ( P <0.05) feed conversion ratio (7.34) compared with crayfish fed diets containing 22% (5.18) or 32% (5.13) crude protein, and had significantly lower percentage survival (46.1%) compared with red claw fed diets with 22% (61.1%) or 32% (58.2%) protein. Total yield was significantly lower ( P <0.05) in red claw fed the 42% protein diet (640 kg ha −1 ) compared with red claw fed diets containing 22% (920 kg ha −1 ) or 32% (904 kg ha −1 ) protein. Mean total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) levels were significantly higher ( P <0.05) in ponds with red claw fed the 42% protein diet (0.55 mg L −1 ) compared with ponds with red claw fed diets containing 22% (0.32 mg L −1 ) or 32% (0.38 mg L −1 ) protein. Mean total nitrite concentrations in ponds with red claw fed the 42% protein diet was significantly higher (0.05 mg L −1 ) compared with red claw fed diets containing 22% (0.01 mg L −1 ) or 32% (0.02 mg L −1 ) protein. These results indicate that a practical diet containing 22% (as fed basis) protein may be adequate for pond production of red claw when stocked at the density used in this study, and that a diet containing 42% protein adversely affected levels of TAN and nitrite, possibly reducing overall survival of red claw. Use of a diet with 22% protein may allow red claw producers to reduce diet costs and thereby increase profits.