Use of feedining trays on grow-out phase amazon river prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum (Heller, 1862)

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that the M. amazonicum prawns accept feeding in trays. Six ponds were stocked with 10 juveniles II (1.2 + 0.7 g) per m² in 02/14/2003. An entirely randomized experimental design with 2 treatments (feeding in trays or feeding to the throw) and 3 replicates was used. Prawn average weight, survival, productivity, and water physical and chemical variables values were compared between treatments using "t†test of Student. Average weight, survival and productivity were, respectively, 7.2 ± 0.3 g, 46.8 ± 7.8% and 335 ± 45 kg/ha in feeding tray treatment, and 6.8 ± 0.1 g, 85.8 ± 5.2% and 586 ± 42 kg/ha in feed to the throw treatment. Survival and productivity differed significantly (p<0.5), while average weight did not differ significantly. M. amazonicum needs the use of further number of trays per area, possibly due to territorial and aggressive behavior.