Effects of different diet combinations on the growth and survival of juvenile black abalone

A 35-day growth experiment was conducted to assess the effects of five different diet combinations on the survival and growth of juvenile black abalone. The four diets tested were: red algae Gracilaria tenuistipitata(G), the green algae Ulva faxciata(U), Enteromorpha intesinalis(E), and formulated diet. Three different combinations of diets (U+E+G, U+G, E+G) and two single diets (G and FD) were designed to investigate their effect on the growth and survival of black abalone. The five combinations were randomly assigned to 5 groups, each had three replicate. The results of the experiment showed that there was no significant difference of the survival rate (P>0.05) under the five diet treatments. The differences of the special growth rate (SGR), wet weight growth rate (WGR_w), dry weight growth rate (WGR_d) and shell length growth rate (LGR) were significant (P < 0.05) under the five diets treatments. Juvenile black abalone in FD treatment supported the highest SGR and WGR_d, however, juvenile black abalone in G+E treatment had the highest LGR and WGR_w. The food conversion efficiency (FCE) had significant differences among the juvenile black abalone under the five diets treatments (P < 0.05). The results indicated that E+G as well as formulated diet were the best diets for the cultured juvenile black abalone, and could reply the formulated diet at the high temperature water.