Feeding management and appraisal of recirculating aquaculture system for spiny lobster Panulirus spp. weaning

Abstract

The study aimed to assess lobster fry adaptation to a formulated diet over 1-3 days while evaluating the recirculating system's performance. 1,500 pueruli lobsters (average weight: 0.31 ± 0.01 g) were placed in 30 round 80 L tanks for 30 days. Lobsters underwent various feeding strategies: formulated diet only (FD), adjusting 10% fresh diet per day (D1), every 2 days (D2), every 3 days (D3), and fresh diet only (Fr). Each treatment had five replicates. Results showed feeding strategies influenced lobster growth, with survival rates between 23%-29%. The recommended strategy was adjusting 10% fresh diet every three days, yielding the best performance in final weight (0.93 g), weight gain (187%), and specific growth rate (3.5% per day). Initial weeks saw high mortality and moulting during the puerulus to post-puerulus transition. Water quality analysis indicated the phytobiological filter had lower total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite-N, nitrate-N, and higher pH compared to other filters in use.