Metamorphosis and survival rate of mud crab (Scylla olivacea) larvae fed with enriched live feed with Moringa oleifera leaves

• Published in: Fisheries and aquatic sciences Vol. 27; no. 7; pp. 456 - 467
• Main Authors: Zainal Usman, Muhammad Yusri Karim, Zainuddin Zainuddin, Syafiuddin Syafiuddin, Khairun Nisaa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: Nutrition; Fatty acid; Megalopa; Zoea; Mud crab
• ISSN: 2234-1749; 2234-1757

The objective of this research was to evaluate live-feed effect enriched with Moringa oleifera Leaves upon the rate of metamorphosis and survival from zoea to megalopa of Scylla olivacea larva. The study utilized a live feed consisting of Rotifer (Branchionus plicatilis) and Artemia (Artemia salina) that were supplemented with moringa leaf powder. The enrichment process involved soaking the feed in solutions containing 0, 50, 100, and 150 mg/L of the powder The levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were quantified following the enrichment of the live feed. A further phase involved conducting a feeding study using mud crab larvae. This experiment was conducted with three replications. Feeding mud crab larvae using rotifers starts from stage 1 of zoea to megalopa with a frequency of 2 times a day at a 30 ind/mL density, and using artemia nauplius was from the zoea 2 to megalopa with a frequency of feeding two times a day at a 5 ind/mL density. The results showed that moringa leaf powder could improve EPA and DHA more significant in Rotifer than in Artemia. Combined rotifer and Artemia nauplii enrichment with 100 mg/L of moringa leaf powder positively impacted the proximate mud crab. This treatment also implies that the metamorphosis of mud crab from zoea 1 stage to megalopa become faster than other treatment. The development from zoea 1 to megalopa stage takes around 16 days. The treatment that yielded the highest survival rate (SR) was feeding mud crab larvae with enhanced live feed containing 100 mg/L of moringa leaf powder. This study demonstrated that the incorporation of moringa leaf powder into live feed can enhance the physical condition of mud crab larvae. Furthermore, it suggests that this enrichment can accelerate the progression of developmental stages and enhance the SR of mud crab larvae when reared under controlled settings.