Growth and Survival of Spiny Lobster Panulirus homarus Fed Different Characteristic of Formulated Feed During the Nursery Phase

To date, spiny lobster farming in South East Asia is relying on trash fish as main source of nutrition. Therefore, it is required to develop formulated diet as a replacement for trash fish diet that could be used by farmers. The aim of this study was to assess survival and growth performances of spiny lobster Panulirus homarus fed different formulated diets.

The study was conducted in 25 net cages (60 x 60 x 60 cm) which were placed in a canvas tank (6 m in diameter). The canvas tank was equiped with flow-through water system and aeration.  Fifteen juveniles of lobster at initial wieght of 3 g was ramdomly distributed into each cage. The juveniles fed experimental feeds according to the designed treatments, twice daily.  Four formulated feeds with 48% protein and 10,6% lipid were prepared in this experiment.  Feed (A), the benchmark feed was produced with ingredients sourced from Australia. Three feeds (B to D) were formulated as feed A, but with ingredients sourced from Indonesia.  Feed D was identical to feed C in formulation and composition; the exception was the feed dry matter content, 92% (dry) and 83% (moist) respectively.  The fifth feed (E) consists of a mixed fishery product feed.

Results of the experiment showed that the best survival was achieved on lobster fed formulated diet with imported fish meal (C), and the lowest survival was obtained on lobster fed trash fish diet (E). It was difficult to distinguish  mortality of lobster due to canibalims or natural mortality. In many cases no dead body was found in the rearing cages. There was no difference in growth between lobster fed moist and dry feeds. Lobster fed diet that prepared with local fish meal (B) showed higher growth than that of feed prepared with imported fish meal feed (C) (Figure 1).  This results suggested that dry feed which was formulated by using local fish meal could be applied for rearing of spiny lobster during the nursery stage.