Effects of raw and fermented seaweed, Padina tetrastomatica on the growth and food conversion of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Abstract

Raw and fermented seaweed, Padina tetrastomatica were incorporated at three levels, 10 %, 20 % and 30 % in diets of giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii. In 15 days digestibility experiment, among the raw and fermented seaweed incorporated diets, the freshwater prawn fed with fermented Padina tetrastomatica (FP) at 10 %, showed maximum apparent digestibility coefficients for dry matter (89.05 %), APD (89.61 %) and ALD (89.49 %). In the 45 days growth experiment, prawn fed with FP at 10 % showed maximum mean weight gain (3.0430g), SGR (2.111), mean feed intake (4.4g), and PER (1.2711). The best FCR value of 1.3145 was observed in prawn fed with FP at 10% incorporation. Significant differences (P