TRANSPORT OF NEW-HATCHED LARVAE OF THE FRESHWATER PRAWN MACROBRACHIUM ROSENBERGII (DE MAN, 1879)

Abstract

An alternative to operate Macrobrachium rosenbergii hatcheries with deficient larvae supply is the use of new-hatched ones produced in other regions. This paper has the purpose of providing subsidies for the development of an adequate transport and management technology for new-hatched M. rosenbergii larvae, in commercial scale. In 1993 and 1994, four larvae transports from the AGRIL farm in Espí­­rito Santo State - Brasil, to the Nepiru farm in Corrientes - Argentina, were realyzed. After the hatching or within 72 hours, larvae were counted and conditioned in plastic bags with brackish water and oxygen. These bags were placed into styrofoan boxes next to four to six titIe plastic bags containing all of them 300 g of ice in order to reduce the water temperature. The larval density varied from 20,000 to 26,150 larvae/liter. The total transport time varied from 23 to 32 hours, and the average larval mortality rate, estimated 24 hours after settlement, varied from 0 to 10%. The mean productivities using transported larvae varied from 20.2 to 55.2 post-larvae/liter, giving evidence about the feasibility of supplying a high demand of these prawns for initial commercial projects, or that with seasonal production cycIes.