Effect of Substrate Media on Growth, Amino, and Fatty Acid Profile of Marine Worm (Nereis virens) at Awur Bay, Jepara, Indonesia

Abstract

Abstract Marine worms (Nereis virens) are deposit feeders that utilize organic materials as food and are used as natural feed for shrimp hatcheries. The type of substrate used for the growth of Nereis virens also affects the nutritional quality. This study aims to find the best substrate media for marine worms' growth, and the amino and fatty acid profile of N. virens. The study was conducted at the Marine Science Technopark (MSTP) Undip Jepara-Central Java. Test animals were 2–3 months old marine worms, with body lengths ranging from 10–15 cm/worm and weights ranging from 0.15–0.5 g/worm. Feed twice daily and maintain a density of 45 worms/L for 45 days. The experimental method with a completely randomized design (CRD) was used, treatment A (clay mud media), B (Sand Silt media), and C (mangrove mud media). The data observed were absolute weight (Wm), Specific Growth Rate (SGR), Feed Utilization Efficiency (FUE), Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR), Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER), Survival Rate (SR), amino and fatty acid profile. The conclusion is that the mangrove mud substrate had a significant effect (P < 0.05) on Wm (6.80 ± 0.18 g), SGR (6.40 ± 0.01%), FUE (68.95 ± 2.30%), FCR (1.30 ± 0.12%), PER (1.70 ± 0.37%), and SR (97.44 ± 0.41%) of Nereis virens with 48.46 ppm of methionine and 8.15% of EPA.