GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF THE 2nd GENERATION OF SWIMMER CRAB Portunus pelagicus JUVENILE IN DIFFERENT REARING CONDITIONS Sulaeman (1), Gunarto (1), and Herlinah (1)
(1)Research Institute for Brackishwater Aquaculture and Fisheries Extension, Jl. Makmur Dg. Sitakka 129, Maros 90512.
Abstract
The experiment was aimed to describe the growth performance of the G2 of swimmer crab juvenile, reared in different rearing conditions. The crablet stage were cultivated in three different rearing conditions: a) each crablet placed individually in 250 ml-plastic cup that arranged on the water surface in the fibre glass tank (plastic-cup), b) crablets reared in 8 m2-concrete tank with shelters (concrete) and c) crablet reared in the concrete tank with sandy bottom (sandy-bottom). The survival rate (SR) and the final body sizes were recorded during the experiment. The result showed that the SR after a month rearing period was varied between treatments. High survival rate was recorded in plastic-cup (97%) which is contrast to low SR, at 52% and 32% for concrete and sandy-bottom respectively. On the contrary, the final weight gain in sandy-bottom (16 g) is significantly higher than concrete (1.3 g) and plastic-cup (0.2 g). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in the final weight and carapace width between the female and male crab from concrete and plastic-cup, but significantly difference (P<0.05) was found in sandy-bottom. At three month rearing period, about 14% of the crab population from the sandy-bottom population could have reach mature stage.
