Effect of Shrimp(Litopenaeus vannamei) Farming Waste on the Growth, Digestion, Ammonium-Nitrogen Excretion of Sea Cucumber(Stichopus monotuberculatus)

In this study, specific growth rate(SGR), ingestion rate(IR), food conversion ratio(FCR), apparent digestion ratio(ADR) and ammonium-nitrogen excretion were determined for sea cucumber(Stichopus monotuberculatus) reared in plastic containers(70 L; 4 containers each diet treatment). Sea cucumbers were fed with five diets containing different amounts of farming waste from shrimp(Litopenaeus vannamei)(100%, 75%, 50%, 25% and 0) and a formulated compound(20% sea mud and 80% powdered algae). Sea cucumbers grew faster when they were fed with diet D(25% shrimp waste and 75% formulated compound) than those fed with other diets. Although IR value of sea cucumber fed with diet A(shrimp waste) was higher than those fed with other diets, both the lowest SGR and the highest FCR occurred in this diet group. The highest and the lowest ADR occurred in diet E(formulated compound) and diet A group, respectively, and the same to ammonium-nitrogen excretion. The contents of crude protein, crude lipid and total organic matter(TOM) in feces decreased in comparison with corresponding diets. In the feces from different diet treatments, the contents of crude protein and TOM increased gradually as the contents of crude protein and TOM in diets increased, while crude lipid content decreased gradually as the crude lipid content in diets increased.

Application of Wet Waste from Shrimp(Litopenaeus vannamei) with or Without Sea Mud to Feeding Sea Cucumber(Stichopus monotuberculatus)

In the present study, the applicability of the wet waste collected from shrimp(Litopenaeus vannamei) to the culture of sea cucumber(Stichopus monotuberculatus) was determined. The effects of dietary wet shrimp waste on the survival, specific growth rate(SGR), fecal production rate(FPR), ammonia- and nitrite-nitrogen productions of sea cucumber were studied. The total organic matter(TOM) level in the feces of sea cucumber was compared with that in corresponding feeds. Diet C(50% wet shrimp waste and 50% sea mud mash) made sea cucumber grow faster than other diets. Sea cucumber fed with either diet D(25% wet shrimp waste and 75% sea mud mash) or sole sea mud exhibited negative growth. The average lowest total FPR of sea cucumber occurred in diet A(wet shrimp waste), and there was no significant difference in total FPR between diet C and diet E(sea mud mash)(P > 0.05). The average ammonia-nitrogen production of sea cucumber in different diet treatments decreased gradually with the decrease of crude protein content in different diets. The average highest nitrite-nitrogen production occurred in diet E treatment, and there was no significant difference in nitrite-nitrogen production among diet A, diet B(75% wet shrimp waste and 25% sea mud mash) and diet C treatments(P > 0.05). In each diet treatment, the total organic matter(TOM) level in feces decreased to different extent compared with that in corresponding feeds.