LARVAL DEVELOPMENT OF THREE INDONESIAN POPULATION OF GIANT FRESHWATER PRAWN (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

Macrobrachium rosenbergii has been introduced for aquaculture to many areas outside its natural range. It is farmed in China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Taiwan, and in Ecuador in South America. In the Pacific, it is farmed in Fiji Islands, Hawaii, and even New Zealand. The need to increase aquaculture production to meet market demand along with growing fishing pressure and deterioration of GFP natural habitats have attracted related stakeholders to study the species for the purpose of either aquaculture development or conservation of its natural resources. Indonesia is rich of giant fresh water prawn (GFP) germ plasms. Indonesia has 19^th native species of M. Rosenbergii (Hadie and Hadie, 2002). GFP germ plasms are widely distributed from the western to the eastern part of Indonesia. Several natural populations such as populations Asahan from North Sumatra, Bone from South Sulawesi and Berau from East Kalimantan. The aim of this study was to evaluated the larvae development of third GFP germ plasms.

Prawn larvae reared in five fiberglass funnel with a capacity of 60 liters with a density of 50 larvae / liter using a system of clear water salinity 10-12 ppt. Observation of larval stage of freshwater prawns done every 3 days, by taking 20 larvae / funnel maintenance to be observed with the aid of binokular microscope. Feed used is naupli Artemia sp. And artificial feed (egg custard).

Parameters measured were the larval development of three population GFP germ plasms. The results showed at the first day larval stage starts from stage 1, larvae of Berau population has growth faster until 9^th day of reraring . While larvae of Asahan has a faster development since 9-18 day of reraring. During 18^th day of rearing larvae of Bone has slower development until 12^th day than other germ plasms population (Figure 1).