Feeding Preferences and the Nutritional Value of Tropical Algae for the Abalone Haliotis asinina

Understanding the feeding preferences of abalone (high-value marine herbivores) is integral to new species development in aquaculture because of the expected link between preference and performance. Performance relates directly to the nutritional value of algae – or any feedstock – which in turn is driven by the amino acid content and profile, and specifically the content of the limiting essential amino acids. However, the relationship between feeding preferences, consumption and amino acid content of algae have rarely been simultaneously investigated for abalone, and never for the emerging target species Haliotis asinina. Here we found that the tropical H. asinina had strong and consistent preferences for the red alga Hypnea pannosa and the green alga Ulva flexuosa, but no overarching relationship between protein content (sum of amino acids) and preference existed. For example, preferred Hypnea and Ulva had distinctly different protein contents (12.64 vs. 2.99 g 100 g−1) and the protein-rich Asparagopsis taxiformis (>15 g 100 g−1 of dry weight) was one of the least preferred algae. The limiting amino acid in all algae was methionine, followed by histidine or lysine. Furthermore we demonstrated that preferences can largely be removed using carrageenan as a binder for dried alga, most likely acting as a feeding attractant or stimulant. The apparent decoupling between feeding preference and algal nutritive values may be due to a trade off between nutritive values and grazing deterrence associated with physical and chemical properties

Economics of cultivating Kappaphycus alvarezii using the fixed-bottom line and hanging-long line methods in Panagatan Cays, Caluya, Antique, Philippines

A socio-economic survey was conducted among the Kappaphycus alvarezii planters of Panagatan Cay, Caluya, Antique, Philippines to determine some social information, farming practices and cost and returns of farming the seaweed. Cultivation is dominated by brown and green morphotypes using the fixed-bottom and hanging-long line methods. Approximately 9.3 t d. wt ha−1 and 7.2 t d. wt ha−1 is produced from fixed-bottom and hanging-long lines methods, respectively, after 60–90 days of culture. The former method requires a working capital and total investment of P7490 and P1870, respectively, compared to the hanging-long line which requires P8455 and P25464, respectively (US$ 1 = P26). A higher total revenue (P139500), net income ((P187895), and return of investment 1002%), but a shorter pay back period (0.10 years) were obtained in fixed-bottom than in hanging-long line. A lower total expenses were incurred in fixed-bottom (P21354) than in hanging-long line (P24566). The farming of K. alvarezii in this area has brought tremendous economic impact to the marginal fishermen

Effect of density on growth and feed consumption of the abalones Haliotis discus discus, H-gigantea, H-madaka and their hybrids

Effect of stocking density was studied in three abalone species Haliotis discus discus (HDD), H. gigantea (HG), and H. madaka (HM) and their hybrids [HDD × HM, HM × HG and HG × HM, mother first] by rearing individually marked abalones for 217 days at low (22 % of available surface area; LD), medium (53 %; MD), and high (126 %; HD) densities. Feeding rate (FR) and feed conversion rate were observed by measuring the amount of feed ingested at an interval of 2-3 days. Reduction of growth rate with the increment of density was found in all three species [Specific growth rate in weight (G ) HDD, LD: 0.121, MD: 0.093, HD: 0.069; HM: 0.12, 0.082, 0.061; HG: 0.254, 0.222, and 0.131] and the hybrids HDD × HM (0.18, 0.109, 0.108). The medium density produced the highest growth rates in HM × HG and HG × HM hybrids (0.284, 0.342, 0.28). A growth spurt was observed in all three species and hybrids in the last 44 days of rearing. FR varied from 0.72 to 7.97 % body weight and decreased with the increase in density in all species and hybrids. The results indicate differences in density thresholds for the three abalone species and their hybrids suggesting requirement of different aquaculture management strategies for them