Contribution of strontium ion in formulation of artificial sea water used in larviculture of giant river prawn, macrobrachium rosenbergii

Abstract

The aim of the present work was to investigate the effect of strontium ion addition in artificial sea water used in larviculture of giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii. Three different media were tested: natural and artificial with and without strontium. The cultures were conducted in 120-L tanks used in larviculture stocked with 60 lar-vae/L. Two harvests were carried out; the first was done simultaneously for all three tested media, while the second was done only for the artificial sea water, since the natural sea water had a complete harvest. The effects of the different sea water on larval development was evaluated by productivity (number of post-larvae/L), total of productivity (number of post-larvae (PL) at first harvest + PL at second harvest), survival rates (number of larvae and PL) and total survival rates (number of PL at first harvest + larvae and PL at second harvest). This study indicated that the addition of strontium ion may have some positive contribution in giant river prawn larviculture. The data suggest that artificial sea water with strontium ion shortens the culture cycle when compared to sea water without strontium. This could decrease operating costs. © 2002 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.