Abstract

A major constraint with marron farming is the high degree of variation in individual growth rates so that too few reach preferred market size within one year (?100 g whole wet weight although preferred market size can vary annually). Genetic selection and pond management strategies, excluding diet type, are being evaluated to overcome these limitations. In this study a complementary approach was adopted whereby performance of marron fed a commonly used, commercial marron feed (23.0% protein, “as is” basis) was compared to those fed a more nutrient dense, commercial marine prawn diet (43.6% protein and specifically formulated for Penaeus monodon) in replicated (n=3) commercial ponds (average surface area of 833 m²). Ponds were stocked (3 juveniles m^-2) in August 1999 (3.2 g marron^-1 and 47.6% Coefficient of Variation, CV on a whole wet weight basis). By June 2000, males were 13.7-16.6% heavier than females, depending on diet, and hence sex ratio could influence size variation in commercial marron ponds. Those supplied with marron feed exhibited slightly higher growth (sexes pooled) and survival rates and slightly lower size variation and FCR but differences were not significant (P>0.05). At this density, use of the low protein content marron diet was not considered to be the limiting factor for growth or survival. All ponds supported high survival (82.4-97.6%) while power analysis indicated considerable promise for these commercial ponds as experimental systems for evaluating diets or pond management variables.

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