Spermatophore production and sperm quality of the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum Spence Bate, 1868 fed with different diets

PEREZ RODRIGUEZ JC; GOMEZ GUTIERREZ J; LOPEZ GRECO LS; CORTES JACINTO E.

AQUACULTURE RESEARCH

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2019

1355-557X

The effects of different diets on spermatophore production and sperm quality were investigated in the river prawn Macrobrachium americanum. Male river prawns were cultured fed with three diets during 244 days: fresh food (50% jumbo squid meat, Dosidicus gigas, and 50% Pacific sardine muscle, Sardinops sagax), commercial pellets (Camaronina 35 Purina®), and a 50:50 mix of both diets. Spermatophore production was recorded on average every 24 days as the percentage of spermatophores produced per extraction per diet, their weight, and biochemical composition. Sperm quality was measured as the total number of sperms, and the proportion of live/dead sperms, and normal/abnormal sperm morphology. There were no significant differences in the mean biochemical composition of M. americanum spermatophores due the diet. Biochemical composition of M. americanum spermatophores was 36.3% proteins, 25.8% carbohydrates, and 4.6% lipids. Weight of spermatophores and sperm counts were not significantly different among diets, neither as a function of the male initial total length (p > 0.05). Male river prawn reproductive exhaustion was observed by the decline of the spermatophore production, weight of the spermatophore, and the number of sperm cells per spermatophore with an increasing proportion of dead and abnormal sperm throughout the experiment. The recommended period of maintenance in captivity for male broodstock is less than 115 days, after which male showed evidence of reproductive exhaustion. It is recommended to feed broodstock males of M. americanum with commercial pellets, because significant differences were not detected with the three diets tested; they are easier to use than fresh food, ensuring same spermatophore production and sperm quality than obtained with fresh food.