Abstract
To determine whether marine mud substrate is suitable for sea cucumber aquaculture, we studied the effects of sea mud on the behavioral characteristics, growth and survival of Apostichopus japonicus, in both the field and laboratory. Our results showed that sea mud is beneficial for the growth of A. japonicus, but was unfavorable for its locomotion and attachment when a water current was present. In the field experiment in Yuehu lagoon, juvenile A. japonicus preferred to inhabit the base of seaweeds or dead leaves, which provide a favorable substrate for both their locomotion and ingestion. The mud substrate was not suitable for the small juveniles to inhabit; therefore, >3.25 g ind−1 is the preferred size for bottom-sowing culture of sea cucumbers on the seabed in a field environment such as the Yuehu lagoon. Water current is a key factor influencing sea cucumber distribution on the bare mud substrate, with 90 % of juvenile sea cucumbers (<40 g ind−1) being unable to keep still in a current speed of 0.115 m s−1 for 10 min. In conclusion, a mud substrate is suitable for A. japonicus aquaculture, although hard substrates or shelters are a prerequisite for successful rearing. The water current is a key factor that influences substrate selection by A. japonicus and, thus, is an important factor to be considered in the bottom-sowing culture of these organisms.
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Abbreviations
- SGR:
-
Specific growth rate
- SD:
-
Standard deviation
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This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41106134), National Science and Technology Supporting Project (2010BAC68B01) and National Marine Public Welfare Research Project (200805069).
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Qiu, T., Zhang, L., Zhang, T. et al. Effects of mud substrate and water current on the behavioral characteristics and growth of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus in the Yuehu lagoon of northern China. Aquacult Int 22, 423–433 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-013-9650-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-013-9650-9