Juvenile production of the reshwater prawn Cryphiops caementarius (Decapoda: Palaemonidae) under laboratory conditions in Coquimbo, Chile

Abstract

Two culture experiments from 1995 until 1997 were carried out with larvae obtained from gravid females of Cryphiops caementarius (Molina 1782), to define a methodology in order to produce juvenile using controlled conditions of water temperature, salinity and feeding. Time in culture of larval development and the survival rate were determined. Two distinct types of culture systems were studied. Both systems incorporated a standard alimentation using nauplius of Artemia sp. plus microalgae; however the second system included, in addition, a supplement of fish and chiken eggs. The decrease in survival rate in both cultures systems was related to morphological changes in each stage of development. Juveniles were obtained after 98 days of culture with the first culture system, whereas in the second culture system, the time to reach the first juvenile stage was 62 days. In addition, an increase in the values for metamorphosis synchronism induced a good amount of metamorphosed animals (juveniles) during the time involved in this study. © 2007 Universidad de Concepción. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas.