University of Tasmania
Browse

File(s) not publicly available

Effect of sediment on growth and acute ammonia toxicity for the school prawn, Metapenaeus macleayi (Haswell)

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 10:10 authored by Allan, GL, Maguire, GB
The effects of sediment on growth, survival, food conversion efficiency and acute ammonia toxicity were determined for the school prawn, Metapenaeus macleayi, a species which normally buries in sediment during the day. Survival of prawns in 70-litre acrylic aquaria was high (90-100%) regardless of the absence of sediment (bare plastic) or the type of sediment (mud, fine sand or coarse sand) or whether the prawns were confined in mesh cages. Growth (weight gain) and food conversion efficiency for confined prawns were significantly lower than for non-confined prawns in aquaria with or without sediment. Prawns grew 11-22% faster in aquaria with sediment than in aquaria without sediment although the type of sediment had no effect on growth. In a 96-h acute toxicity experiment, mortality of prawns increased with increasing ammonia concentration and, at a concentration of 31 5-32 mg total ammonia-N (TAN)/I, was higher in aquaria without sediment (30.0 ± 5.8%; mean ± s.e., n = 3) than in those with sediment (6.7 ± 6.7%). Emergence of prawns from the sediment was affected by time of day and ammonia concentration. During the day, emergence increased from 7.3 to 79.2% with increasing ammonia concentration (< 0.05 to 52.8 mg TAN/1), but most prawns were emergent during the night regardless of ammonia concentrations. In aquaria without prawns, ammonia concentrations and pH were always lower in water extracted from the sediment than in the water column. The effects of different arrangements of sediment, filtration and aeration on ammonia concentrations in aquaria are described in relation to conducting and interpreting ammonia toxicity experiments with prawns. © 1995.

History

Publication title

Aquaculture

Volume

131

Issue

1-2

Pagination

59-71

ISSN

0044-8486

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Elsevier Science Bv

Place of publication

Amsterdam, Holland

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Other animal production and animal primary products not elsewhere classified

Usage metrics

    University Of Tasmania

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC