Efecto de diversos sustratos artificiales en el crecimiento y supervivencia de estadios tempranos de la langosta azul (Cherax quadricarinatus) cultivados en un sistema de recirculación

The effect of different artificial substrates (tube or straw, mesh, mesh and tube or straw, and control or no substrate) on growth and survival of offspring early Cherax quadricarinatus raised in a recirculating system, was evaluated during four months. Each substrate was studied with five replicates and the initial density was adjusted to 111 org/m ² (25 animals/replicate). Cleaning of containers, extracting out of dead animals and feeding with a balanced diet (35%, crude protein) in excess, were daily done. Significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were detected for the wet weight, total length and specific growth (CE) among groups. The higher mean values for the total length and wet weight were observed for the mesh treatment (19.29 ± 1.21 mm and 0.32 ± 0.048 g, respectively), while the smaller organisms were observed in the control group (1.17 ± 1.19 mm and 0.22 ± 0.04 g, respectively), for which significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) were registered from the thrid biometrics to the end of the trial. The straw + mesh group showed the higher CE and daily weight gain (GPD) values (7.24 ± 1154% body weight/d and 0.0099 ± 0.0032 g/d, respectively). There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) for the final survival among the treatments studied. The use of mesh as artificial substrate promoted better growth and survival overall results in small C. quadricarinatus during its first culture month.