Effect of Color and Mesh Size on Growth Performance and Net Fouling of Suspended Hatchery Trays for Crassostrea belcheri (Sowerby 1871) Oysters

Abstract

The effects of mesh size and color on growth performance and net fouling of suspended plastic mesh trays during nursery culture of spat and juvenile hatchery-reared tropical oysters, Crassostrea belcheri (Sowerby 1871), was studied for 60 days. Mesh diameter significantly affected the absolute growth rate in shell width, the specific growth rate, and the final survival of smallspat (p<0.05). Mesh diameter and color had non-significant effects (p>0.05) on the growth performance of large spat. There were no significant interactive effects between mesh size and color on growth performance of small or large spats. Mesh size and color significantly affected (p<0.05) the net fouling rate: the rate was high on small mesh (0.35 cm) and low on large mesh (0.72 cm) for small spat, high on black trays and low on green trays for large spat. There were no significant interactive effects of mesh size and color (p>0.05) on the fouling rate for either small or large spats.