REMARKABLE AFFECT OF DIETS ON ABALONE (HAL/OTIS AS/NINA ) GROWTH AND SHELL PIGMENTATION

Abstract

Absol u te growth and shell color of juvenile H asinina was moni tored over a period of 2-months in an experiment consisting of 8 treatments with 3 repl icates (n = !O individuals per replicate). The treatments were: fresh red seaweed ( Gracillaria verrucosa), and green algae ( Viva lactuca) and 6 formulated . feeds using different seaweed meals. This study is an attempt made on the effects of partially replacing fish meal with aigae (U lactuca) of the formulated feeds on the growth This preliminary study investigated the effect of seaweed and formulated feed on the growth, the shell color of this abalone and survival of abalone. The result s showed that the absolute growth of abalone fed by macroalgae G.verrucosa higher .than abalone fed with other feed and significantly different from the makroalgae U lactuca and others feeds fommlated. Results showed that abalones fed the seaweed G. 'verrucosa and formulated feed with G. verrucosa meal had dark - brown shells. However, abalones fod with makroalgae U !actuca and either of the formulated feeds (with spiru1ina) and formulated feeds (with U lactuca meal) remarkably had the s2me good growth performance and green shell appea;:ance. Investigations showed that seaweeds meal could be the better replacement for fish meal in pelleted feeds of H asinina. Keywords : abalone, growth, formulated feed, seaweed, seaweed meal