CONTRIBUTION OF BIOFILM TO SURVIVAL AND GROWTH OF JUVENILES OF THE CRAYFISH CHERAX QUADRICARINATUS

VIAU, V.; OSTERA, J. M.; TOLIVIA, A. A.; BALLESTER, E. L. C.; ABREU, P. C.; CAMPOLONGO, M.; FERRÉ, L.; RODRÍGUEZ, E. M.

Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brasil.

Congreso; Congreso Latinoamericano de Ciencias del Mar. XIV COLACMAR; 2011

Associación Latinoamericana de investigadores en Ciencias del Mar ALICMAR y la Asociación Brasileña de Oceanografía AOCEANO

The effect of biofilms as an alternative and/or complementary food source was assayed for early and advanced juveniles of Cherax quadricarinatus. Higher values of either growth or survival were seen in the combination of both formulated food and biofilm as food sources, for both kind of juveniles. The main micro-organisms present in biofilm were chlorophytas, xantophytas, pennate diatoms, cyanobacteria, flagellates, ciliates, rotifers and nematodes. Most of these items were found in the stomach of crayfishes fed on biofilm. The levels of energetic reserves in hepatopancreas were similar in animals fed on formulated food alone or in combination with biofilm; energetic reserves in the abdominal muscle showed no differences among experimental groups, for any kind of juveniles. Therefore, biofilm could be considered as a good complementary food source of high nutritional value improving either growth or survival of C. quadricarinatus juveniles,and eventually a good replacement of the expensive formulations commonly used for their culture.