Effects of enriched artemia on growth and survival of juvenile freshwater crayfish (Astacus leptodactylus Esch. 1823)

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of artemia enriched with lipid emulsions containing highly unsaturated fatty acids on growth and survival of juvenile freshwater crayfish Astacus leptodactylus. Juvenile crayfish were fed artemia enriched with commercial emulsions (red pepper and olio ω3) and un-enriched artemia (control). The highest eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) level was found in artemia enriched with olio ω3 (3.17 %) and the highest docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) level was found in artemia enriched with red pepper (3.56 %). The weight gain, specific growth, and survival rates of juvenile crayfish increased with increasing amount of EPA and DHA in dietary artemia respectively (0.04%, 2.32% ). Finally, the juveniles fed with artemia enriched with olio ω3 and red pepper had a better weight gain, specific growth rate, and survival than those fed with un-enriched artemia (p < 0.05).