Open AccessA Comparison of Natural and Artificial Diets for Juveniles of the Australian Freshwater Crayfish Cherax destructor
Author(s) -
Verhoef Geoffrey D.,
Jones Paul L.,
Austin Christopher M.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of the world aquaculture society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.655
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1749-7345
pISSN - 0893-8849
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-7345.1998.tb00983.x
Subject(s) - biology , crayfish , shrimp , destructor , juvenile , fishery , zooplankton , zoology , freshwater shrimp , ecology , mite
Growth rates of juvenile yabbies Cherax destructor fed a variety of natural and an artificial diet were compared under controlled conditions. Newly independent (stage 3) juveniles were reared individually in 1‐L pomades for 35 d. The best survival and growth were obtained on live zooplankton, frozen zooplankton, shrimp meal pellets and tubifex worms (survival, 100%; mean weights, 608, 444, 380 and 338 mg, respectively). Intermediate growth and survival was exhibited by crayfish fed chironomid larvae, snails and mussels (survival, 80–100%; mean weight, 138–169 mg). Juveniles fed trout muscle, beef heart and yabby tail gave very poor growth and survival (survival, 50–80%; mean weight, 50–55 mg). The use of shrimp meal pellets as a reference diet for juvenile yabbies is discussed.