Differences in aquarium background color on the survival and growth performance of juvenile red claw lobsters Cherax quadricarinatus

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of different background colors (transparent, blue, brown, and black) on the survival and growth of juvenile red claw lobsters. The experimental method used was a completely randomized design (CRD) consisting of four treatments and four replications. Lobsters with an initial weight of 232 mg were reared at a density of 10 individuals aquarium^-1 for 45 days. Feeding in the form of pellets was carried out at a dose of 5% of the biomass/day. The parameters observed included survival, absolute weight, and length growth, specific growth rate, condition factor, coefficient of variation, FCR, FCE, and water quality. The results showed that background color had a significant effect (P<0.05) on survival and growth, with the black container treatment providing the best results in survival (83 ± 5.77%), absolute weight growth (492.64 ± 6.26 mg), specific weight growth rate (2.53 ± 0.02 %/day), as well as the lowest FCR (1.28 ± 0.07) and the highest FCE (78.56 ± 4.44%). Meanwhile, absolute length growth and length coefficient of variation were not significantly different between treatments (P>0.05). Water quality during the study was within the optimal range. Overall, the use of dark background colors (brown and black) is recommended to improve the survival and growth performance of juvenile red claw lobsters.

Keywords: crustaceans, cannibalism, controlled environment, rearing media, growth performance