Evaluation of Four Practical Diets on the Growth and Survival of Juvenile Redclaw, Cherax quadricarinatus (von Martens, 1868)

Redclaw, Cherax quadricariatus (von Martens) has shown promise as an aquaculture species but commercial development has been constrained by variability of production, perhaps due to poor survival and growth of early craylings. Diet contributes to survival and growth and previous studies have determined requirements for larger redclaw, but little research exists for the early craylings. An experiment was performed to evaluate survival and growth of early instar redclaw using four diets; Frippak (commercial shrimp diet), CSIRO compound diet, bloodworms, and on-grown Artemia. Bloodworms and Artemia produced significantly higher survival of craylings over two weeks than the two other diets. Artemia diet had a significantly higher weight increase than bloodworms or the CSIRO diet, but not Frippak, which did not differ from bloodworms or CSIRO. Biomass was significantly higher when fed Artemia. High mortality in the Frippak and CSIRO diet treatments were not wholly attributable to nutritional deficiencies as the manufactured diets became less physically accessible, potentially reducing intake, leading to difficulties completing ecdysis and eventually death. This study concluded that Artemia and bloodworms promoted highest survival, and Artemia and Frippak the highest weight gain. The best combination of survival, weight gain and biomass was with the Artemia diet.