Effects of live prey availability on growth and survival in the early stages of cuttlefish Sepia officinalis (Linnaeus, 1758) life cycle

This investigation examined the effects of live prey availability on growth and survival of Sepia officinalis. Two independent experiments, comprising two feed rations each, were performed, using adequate prey size. In the first experiment, cuttlefish hatchlings were fed live mysids, Paramysis nouvelli [(feed ratio I (fr I)], at 15% body weight per day (bw day−1) (fr I15) and 30% bw day−1 (fr I30). In the second experiment, juvenile cuttlefish were fed live Atlantic ditch shrimp, Paleomonetes varians (fr II), under the same experimental design. In both experiments, the final mean weight, feeding rate and instantaneous growth rate were higher when animals were fed feed ratio fr II15 and fr II30 (30% bw day−1). The results indicate that prey availability influenced weight gain, irrespective of the prey used, during the first 2 months of cuttlefish life cycle. This effect seems to be more noticeable when a certain limit of prey is achieved. For cuttlefish fed fr II, the optimal prey density is thought to be under 2.5 g prey L−1 (i.e. 14 shrimp L−1). Results indicate that cuttlefish can withstand prey densities up to 120 mysids L−1 for cuttlefish up to 3 weeks old and 19 shrimps L−1 for cuttlefish up to 6 weeks old.