FEEDING BEHAVIOR, FOOD CONSUMPTION, GROWTH, AND RESPIRATION OF THE SQUID LOLIGO OPALESCENS RAISED IN THE LABORATORY

The squid Loligo opalescens was raised in the laboratory to a maximum age of 100 days on a diet of Artemia nauplii and adults. Newly hatched squid (2.7 mm mantle length) readily attacked Artemia nauplii (length 0.7 mm), Artemia adults (length 5 mm), copepoda (length 1 mm), and larval fish (length 4 mm). Feeding rates varied between 35 and 80% ofsquid body weight per day. Growth rate was highly variable in different individuals, ranging from 0.5 to nearly 4.5 mm mantle length per month. Respiration rates were obtained at 15°C for squid of three different ages and at 10°, 15°, and 20°C for 1-day-old squid.