Abstract

In an intensive crayfish culture system (ICCS), as in any nutritional and growth studies, it is a common practice to allow marron to feed on their exuviae. In a 120-day trial, the nutritional contribution of exuviae in the diet of marron was investigated. Twenty marron weighing 16.25±0.60 g were used to test each of the four treatments. The treatments were: marron fed with reference diet alone (diet D1), marron fed with their own exuviae alone (diet D2), marron fed with reference diet plus their own exuviae (diet D3), and marron not fed at all (diet D4). At the end of the trial, all marron, irrespective of dietary treatments, showed similar intermoult intervals. There was no significant difference in final weights of marron fed with any dietary treatment, however, marron receiving D3 had a significantly higher (P<0.05) specific growth rate (SGR) compared to the starved marron (D4) and marron receiving D2. Both wet and dry hepatosomatic indices (Hiw and Hid) were significantly higher (P<0.05) and the hepatopancreatic moisture levels (HM%) were significantly lower (P<0.05) in marron fed with diets containing reference diets (D1 and D3). There were no significant differences in wet tail muscle to body weight ratio (Tw/B) of marron among any dietary treatments. However, dry tail muscle to body weight ratio (Td/B) in starved marron (D4) was significantly lower (P<0.05) than Td/B of marron fed reference diet plus their exuviae (D3). Percentage moisture levels in tail muscles (TM%) were not significantly different among marron receiving four different dietary treatments. Marron receiving the reference diet showed high survival (88.9 and 100%) during the trial compared to starved marron (72.2%). The study showed that availability of exuviae as a food source did not significantly influence the mean final weight, SGR or any of the condition indices of marron.

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