Rearing of the Larval Stages of Prawn, Penaeus japonicus BATE, Using Artificial Diet

Survival and growth rates of the zoeal and mysis stages of the prawn, Penaeus japonicus Bate, were studied using natural and artificial diets. The highest survival rate, 34.2%, was obtained in the larvae fed with the artificial diet, Diet-B. Larvae fed with the diatom, Chaetoceros gracilis, plus Artemia nauplii did not give the best survival; however, growth was the fastest in this group. The larvae metamorphosed into the mysis_3 stage in 7 days. Comparable growth rate was obtained on larvae fed with Diet-B. The larvae metamorphosed into the mysis_3 stage in 8 days. The results thus seem to demonstrate that Diet-B is an effective diet for the early larval stages of the prawn, P.japonicus.