Determining the effects of stocking density and temperature on growth and food consumption in the pharaoh cuttlefish, Sepia pharaonis, Ehrenberg 1890

The purpose of this experiment was to observe the impact of stocking density on growth and food consumption of juvenile Sepia pharaonis reared at 23 and 28A degrees C. Two groups of 32 cuttlefish each were reared in closed recirculating seawater systems with water temperatures of 23A degrees C (group A) and 28A degrees C (group B). Each group was divided into three treatments with two replicates per treatment: low-density (equivalent to 20 cuttlefish m(-2)), medium-density (equivalent to 100 cuttlefish m(-2)), and high-density (equivalent to 200 cuttlefish m(-2)). Measured amounts of live food were added three times a day and the wet body weight of each cuttlefish was measured once a week during the 42-day study. Cuttlefish in group B had higher growth rates and food consumption than cuttlefish in group A. The different stocking densities in group B affected the size of the cuttlefish whereas the stocking densities of the cuttlefish in group A treatments did not lead to different sizes between densities. Overall, the gross growth efficiency of the high-density treatments was lower than that of the low-density treatments, as was the weight of the cuttlefish in the high-density treatment. Although the wet weights of group A treatments were not significantly different (P > 0.05), the wet weights of the cuttlefish in the high-density, group B, treatment were lower than those in the low and medium density treatments. This decrease in individual size suggests that stocking densities of 100 to 200 cuttlefish m(-2) may interfere with growth.