مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Effects of substrate preference on growth and survival of blue tiger crayfish (Cherax albertisii)

Abstract :

This study investigated the effects of different type of substrates on the growth, survival and substrate preference on juvenile blue tiger crayfish (Cherax albertisii). Six different substrates (bare glass, plastic mesh, basalt, calcite, pebbles, sand) have established in the bottom of 18 aquariums. The study was carried out in two different experimental areas. In the first set of experiments, ten (average 1 g of body weight) juveniles were placed in each aquariums. In the second experiment, a hexagonal glass aquarium were used and divided into six sections each containing one of the same substrates were used for substrate preference. Ten juveniles from the first experiment were individually placed into the aquarium and each of them were recorded at convenient intervals for 24 hours for observing their behaviours. Spending time in each section was recorded. As a result of the first experiment, it was found that weight gain of crayfish was significantly higher on group of pebbles in comparison with the other substrates after 120 days (P 0.01). At the end of the second experiment we observed that pebbles was the most preferred when compared the other substrates (P 0.01). The present experiments suggest that the pebbles can be used as a substrate for juvenile blue tiger crayfish. These results showed that the natural habitat is quite important for this species because of pebbles are close to natural substrate of C. albertisii.