Differences in growth and moult frequency among post-pueruli of Jasus edwardsii fed fresh, aged or frozen mussels

Growth in length and weight of post-pueruli of Jasus edwardsii (red rock lobster) fed one of six mussel diets was measured over three moult cycles. The diets consisted of opened cultured Mytilus galloprovincialis (blue mussel) or Perna canaliculus (greenlip mussel) fed fresh daily or every third day or fed frozen daily. Differences in mussel species and freshness had significant effects on cumulative moult increments (length and weight) as well as moult frequency over the first three moult cycles, Post-pueruli fed frozen mussels had significantly smaller growth increments than did those fed fresh mussels daily or every third day, Post-pueruli fed frozen P. canaliculus grew significantly less than did those fed frozen M. galloprovincialis and they took significantly longer to complete three moult cycles than did those fed in all other treatments. There were no significant differences in growth or moult frequency between post-pueruli fed fresh mussels of either species daily or every third day. These results are discussed with regard to farming of J. edwardsii.