Growth and Health Status of Spiny Lobsters and Snubnose Pompano with Multilevel Floating Net Cage System

Abstract

The cultivation of multilevel floating net cages (MFNC) systems is believed to be able to increase production capacity without increasing the horizontal area of ​​the cultivation area. Research on the effect of using MFNC on the growth and health performance of Spiny lobsters and Snubnose pompano has never existed, so a study was conducted with the aim of comparing the growth and health performance of spiny lobsters and Snubnose pompano in floating net cage (FNC) and MFNC cultivation systems. The research method used was a field experiment with a comparative analysis of spiny lobsters and Snubnose pompano cultivation with different cultivation systems, namely the MFNC and FNC systems with 3 replications. The rearing lasted for 2 months and was fed trash fish as much as 5% of the biomass every day. Parameters of spiny lobsters and Snubnose pompano growth performance observed included weight growth, carapace length growth, total length growth, and specific growth rate. The health status of spiny lobsters observed quantitatively was the total hemocytes counts and hemolymph glucose levels, and Snubnose pompano by counting erythrocytes and blood leukocytes. The results showed that there was no difference in growth performance, survival and health status of spiny lobsters and Snubnose pompano reared using MFNC and FNC systems based on paired two sample for means, because p value > 0.05 for all growth parameters survival and health status. Thus, the use of a multilevel floating net cage system in lobster cultivation can increase FNC productivity and be efficient in optimal space utilization and does not affect water quality, especially the parameters of temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen and salinity. There were no significant differences in the growth performance, survival, and health status of lobsters and Snubnose pompano when reared using the MFNC and FNC cultivation systems.