Rotifer importance as food on the larval rearing of the mud crab

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of the exclusion of rotifer and its replacement by commercial feed in the survival, larval development and growth during the larval rearing of mud crab (Ucides cordatus). Larvae were individually reared and subjected to 6 treatments (T1 to T5 and TR) with 50 replicates, from zoea (Z1 to Z5) to the megalopa stage (M). Feeding was composed of Artemia nauplii and microalgae in all treatments. Rotifer was also introduced as food from T1 to T5, except in TR, where microparticulate commercial feed was provided as food. Rotifer was then supplied in treatments T1-Z1, T2 í Z2, T3-Z3, T4-Z4 and T5-Z5, and subsequently excluded. The low survival with reduced number of megalopae observed when rotifer was replaced by the commercial feed shows that this is not a viable alternative. The exclusion of rotifer can be performed after switching from Z1 to Z2, maintaining the supply of Artemia nauplii and microalgae, without impact on growth, survival and stress resistance, ensuring megalopae with quality for restoking and thereby reducing handling and the costs involved in the production.