Nursery of sand lobster, Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus 1758) in rearing tanks with some shelter combinations

Abstract

The addition of the right combination of shelters to lobster farming can reduce cannibalism and increase survival rates. This study aims to find a suitable shelter combination for Scalloped spiny lobster reared in a fiberglass tank. The study was conducted in 12 fiberglass tanks 1 m3 in volume, with an initial lobster puerulus weight of 0.26 ± 0.024 g and a density of 100 /tanks. The combination of shelters tested is roster brick (A); shading net (B); roster brick and seaweed Gracillaria sp. (C); and shading net and seaweed (D). The parameters observed were survival rate, body length, body weight and hemocytes. Results showed that the best survival rate at treatment C (36.3 ± 10.54%), followed by A (33.3 ± 5.77%), D (25.0 ± 5.57), and lowest at B (14,3 ± 4,04%) (P<0.05). The final body weight and total length did not significantly different (p>0.05). The highest total hemocytes at treatment C (616.5±67.254 cell/ml), followed by A (583.4± 59.434 cell/ml), D (572.6±56.324 cell/ml), and lowest at B (459.6±45.344 cell/ml). The shelter combination of roster brick and seaweed (Gracillaria sp.) is better than another treatment because it can produce a better survival rate.