Effects of Several Factors on the Growth of the American Lobster (Homarus americanus) in Captivity

Abstract

With existing methods, there is little possibility of growing lobsters economically through a moult in captivity.In initial experiments on effects of temperature, feeding rate, diet, and sex on growth of spring-caught lobsters of 0.6–1.0 lb (0.28–0.45 kg) in captivity, gross weight of all 19 groups decreased by an average of 36% by 6 or 8 months (McLeese 1972).In these experiments on effects of maturity and storage density, lobsters of 1.0 lb (0.45 kg), maintained at four storage densities at 15 C, were fed fish, squid, and beef liver at 6% of their weight per week. Moulting occurred mainly from early July to late October with only a few others moulting by March (10 months). There was no difference in weight increment for mature and immature lobsters. Mean increments in length and weight were inversely related to storage density. Heavy mortality in one group was caused in part by lobster blood disease, gross weight in the remaining six decreased by an average of 2.5% by 6 months, and 19% by 10 months, corresponding with mortality of 17.5 and 29.4%.