Abstract
A large fraction of the males in the communal culture of Macrobrachium rosenbergii is stunted. The growth of these runts is inhibited in the presence of large blue-clawed males, termed bulls. The possible involvement of three mechanisms suggested to control growth suppression in crustaceans (i.e., direct food deprivation, appetite suppression and low food conversion efficiency) was tested. Food conversion efficiency seems to be the major mechanism controlling growth rate of runts under our laboratory conditions. The high food conversion ratio of runts in proximity of a bull is reversible, shifting to a low one upon the removal of the bull. The relevance of these findings to prawn culture is discussed.
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