Study on Breeding of Babylonia areolata Applying Artificial Compound Feed with Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis as Protein Source

Abstract

【Objective】Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis is a mollusk with abundant resources and high development potential in the South China Sea. The study was carried out to investigate the feasibility of S. oualaniensis used as an alternative protein source of artificial compound feed for Babylonia areolata.【Method】Seven artificial compound feeds for B. areolata with different mass fractions (33.1%, 43.1%, 53.1%, 63.1%, 73.1%, 83.1%, and 100%) of S. oualaniensis were designed and fed to B. areolata larvae with initial body weight of 0.37 (± 0.03) g. The control group was fed with fish, and the experiment lasted for 90 days. The daily average weight gain and growth rate, feed coefficient, survival rate and yield per unit area were used as indexes to evaluate the breeding effect.【Result】In the treatment with 63.1% of S. oualaniensis, the daily gain of B. areolata was 0.034 g and growth rate was 9.31%, which were significantly higher than those of the control (0.029g and 7.96%); the feed coefficient was 1.33, which was significantly lower than that of the control (2.27); the yield per unit area of 3 168.6 g/m2 was higher than that of 2 856.8 g/m2 in control group, but both there were no significant differences between these two treatments. The daily gain and growth rate of B. areolata in the other groups were lower or significantly lower than that of the control. The survival rate of B. areolata in the groups with the addition of S. oualaniensis were lower than that in the control, and there were no significant differences between the treatment of adding 63.1% or more of S. oualaniensis and the control.【Conclusion】The use of the artificial compound feed for B. areolata does not require removal of residual bait or residues, which can reduce the workload of breeding and reduce the dependence on trash fish and protect offshore fishery resources. In terms of daily average weight gain, daily growth rate and feed coefficient, it is feasible to add S. oualaniensis to artificial compound feed of B. areolata, and the reference value of mass fraction is 63.1%. The application of S. oualaniensis as the main protein source can become an important direction for the development of B. areolata feed in the future.

Keywords

• sthenoteuthis oualaniensis
• babylonia areolata
• compound feed
• growth
• feed coefficient