The effect of temperature changes on feeding activities and daily burrow cycle of sea cucumber, Holothuria parva

Abstract

Changing in sea water temperature can affect critical parameters for the aquaculture of sea cucumber. In this study, we evaluate the effect of temperature changes on feeding activities and daily burrow cycle of sea cucumber, Holothuria parva and calculate nutritional parameters (intestinal index, organic material absorption efficiency), in two temperature conditions (30 ° C and below 30 ° C) so that we can determine proper condition for raising the sea cucumber H. parva in the terms of temperature. Results showed that the burrowing rate of sea cucumber increased with decreasing temperature from 30 ° C. Additionally, the highest intestinal index rate in the primary segments (0.092 ± 0.009), intermediate (0.085 ± 0.006) and final (0.059 ± 0.011) , the highest organic matter rate in the primary segments (7.03 ± 0.68), intermediate (5.25 ± 1.02) and final (8.57 ± 0.39) intestine of sea cucumber and additionally the highest absorption efficiency rate (40.91± 13.02) was related to the temperature 30 ° C. Overall outcome results of this study showed that changing of temperature affects on H.parva feeding, so by reducing the temperature from 30 °C, feeding activities and nutritional parameters decreased, hence we can conclude that H.parva has better nutrition in temperature 30 °C.

Keywords

• temperature
• feeding behaviors
• burrowing
• organic materials
• holothuria parva
• intestinal index