First Rearing of Octopus Joubini Robson, 1929 on Mysidacean and Caridean Shrimps

Résumé du livre

Octopus joubini was reared for the first time, from hatching to sexual maturity, on a diet composed exclusively of live mysidacean and caridean shrimps (Mysidopsis almyra and Palaemonetes pugio). The octopuses were reared in 150 and 300l closed artificial seawater systems maintained at a temperature of 25°C and a salinity of 35%. Octopuses were first fed small Mysidopsis for 4 to 6 weeks after hatching and then larger Palaemonetes for the remainder of the study. An initial group of 137 octopus hatchlings were group-reared for 23 weeks, with 41% survival (56 octopuses) to sexual maturity. The growth of 26 individual octopuses fed the same shrimp diet was followed closely for 19 weeks, with the animals being weighed at one to two-week intervals. The growth rate during the first four weeks was 6.6% increase in body weight per day. From 4 to 19 weeks growth rates declined to a mean of 2.8% increase in body weight per day. Growth rates and survival were comparable to previous rearing studies using live decapod crabs (Uca spp.) and showed that Mysidopsis and Palaemonetes are reliable alternatives for rearing O. joubini.