Maintenance methods of Macrobrachium amazomicum Heller, 1862 [Crustácea, Decapoda, Palaemonidae] larvae

Abstract

The aim of this paper is the selection of an efficient method to maintain Macrobrachium amazonicum larvae in order to increase survival, reduce the time of larvae development and its handling. Four methods were employed: Siphoning 1, Siphoning 2, Biological Filter and Planktonkreisel. The experiments were done in two steps using larvae from the 2nd stage onwards for the first step and of 3rd and/or 4th stage for the second. The larvae remained at a temperature of 27 + 1°C and 14%o of salinity. They were fed Artemia salina nauplii and balanced diet. The results showed that the best methods are the processes of Siphoning 2 for larvae in 2nd stage (39.62% average survival) and Biological Filter, for larvae in the 3rd and/or 4th stage (76.62% average survival).