Effect of beef (Bovine sp.) liver, blood cockle (Anadara granosa), squid (Teuthida sp), seaweed (Kappaphycus sp.), water fern (Salvinia sp.), and commercial pellet on the growth of red claw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus

Crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus is a potential aquaculture species for food and ornamental purposes in recent years. However the crayfish nutrition and diet are not developed as other aquaculture species. Two experiments were conducted in the present study. First experiment is to study the effect of beef (Bovine sp.) liver, blood cockle (Anadara granola), squid (Teuthida sp.), seaweed (Kappaphycus sp.), water fern (Salvinia sp.) and commercial pellet on the growth rate of crayfish and second experiment is to breed the crayfish. There are six treatments being implemented to investigate the grow rate of crayfish. Each treatment were introduced separately in indoor aquarium, each treatment with two replicate. The feed intake was ad-libitum. Each replicate contained two different sexes for the purpose of breeding. Breeding, life cycle and metamorphosis were observed to study the crayfish behaviour. The grow rate of crayfish was determined by measuring its body weight and length weekly. This study has shown that the higher the protein content of feed, the faster the grow rate and optimal protein level for maximum growth of juvenile crayfish is 34%. Three high protein treatment, squid (31.74%), pellet (33.62% CP), blood cockle (50.67% CP) contribute contributed the top three highest growth respectively, which is 28.57%, 27.29%, 27.52% respectively. However, there were some factor that lead to the undesired effect to the feed intake of crayfish. Water quality showed the major effect to crayfish feed intake. The stocking density of crayfish in the experiment also affected the grow rate of crayfish. Animal protein was performed more effectively than plant protein in crayfish (1.05% of growth). It is suggested that, mixture of plant and animal protein is recommended in crayfish feed which can be utilised efficiently by crayfish with a low contamination level and reduce the overall feed cost.. For breeding, crayfish breed only with good water quality and photoperiod. Newly hatched crayfish need to be separated with parents and grow in green water is necessary.