Abstract

The approximate levels of dietary protein that would sustain good growth and survival of the freshwater crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus were determined in two feeding trials. For trial I, juveniles (1.08 ± 0.34 g) were fed experimental diets containing seven levels of crude protein (CP) (20, 25, 31, 37, 43, 49, and 55%) and 18.73 to 21.45 KJ g-1 of gross energy. Optimum protein requirements were estimated by fitting mean weight gain to a quadratic model (y=1.142+0.484-0.0071x², r²=0.952 P<0.05). For trial II, pre-adults (males 23.3 ± 0.58 g and females 21.7 ± 0.33 g) were fed experimental diets containing five levels of crude protein (22, 27, 33, 39, and 45% CP). Optimum protein requirements were estimated for males (y= 27.76+ 0.613x-0.0113x², r²=0.968 P<0.05), and for females following a lineal model (y = 32.628-0.0483x, r²=0.971 P<0.05). Optimal growth for males occurred at the dietary level of 27.1% CP, while for females, no significant differences were found among dietary treatments. Our results demonstrate that the diet containing 31% protein maximizes the growth of juvenile crayfish, while 22% dietary protein maximizes the growth of pre-adults crayfish. The information obtained will contribute to formulate diets that will improve the production of C. quadricarinatus culture.

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