[Effects of salinity fluctuation on the molt, growth, and energy budget of juvenile Fenneropenaeus chinensis].

Abstract

By the methods of experimental ecology, this paper studied the effects of 4 salinity fluctuation amplitudes (2, 4, 6, and 8 PSU) on the molt and growth of juvenile Fenneropenaeus chinensis cultured in the seawater with salinity of 20. The results showed that the proportion of molted F. chinensis ranged from 13.3% to 15.4%, with no significant differences among different treatments. When the salinity fluctuation amplitude was 4 PSU, the specific growth rate and the energy consumption for the growth were the highest while the energy consumption for respiration was the lowest, resulting in the rapid growth of F. chinensis. At 2 PSU, the feeding rate was the lowest; but at 2 and 4 PSU, the feed conversion efficiency was the highest. No significant difference in energy allocation for molt was observed between the four treatments. It was revealed that too large salinity fluctuation was unbeneficial to the growth, but had less effect on the molt of juvenile F. chinensis.