Effect of Feed on the Reproductive Performance of Penaeus Monodon Brood Stock

N. Shettu and C. Jayaprakash

P G and Research Department of Zoology, Pachaiyappa’s College, Chennai - 600 030 India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: nspachaiyappas@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT: The effect of feed on reproductive performance of wild collected and hatchery reared Penaeus monodon in terms of fecundity (number of eggs spawned) and number of nauplii hatched with hatching percentage was investigated after feeding the brooders with three different feeds viz., polychaete worms, crabs and polychaete worms and crabs. Each experimental group of the brooders was fed with the respective feed at the rate of 12% of the body weight, four times per day. Data collected on body weights of the brooders, number of eggs spawned by the brooders, number of nauplii hatched and the hatching percentage were analysed by one-way classification ANOVA and Q-test. There was no significant difference among the mean weights of the brooders of the three experimental groups. The brood stock response in terms of total number of eggs (fecundity) spawned was significantly more in groups fed with polychaetes than in the group fed with crabs alone. Likewise, number of nauplii hatched and the percentage of hatching was significantly higher in brooders fed with polychaetes than those fed with crabs alone.

KEYWORDS: Penaeus monodon; polychaete worms; crabs

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