Effects of temperature on food consumption, growth and oxygen consumption of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man 1879) postlarvae

Effects of temperature on food consumption, growth and oxygen consumption were estimated for the freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii postlarvae at 23 degreesC, 28 degreesC and 33 degreesC in the laboratory. The results showed that the animal's initial body weight had a close linear relationship with food consumption and growth. Food consumption increased directly with temperature. Consumption rates (C ; mg day(-1) ind(-1) ) of the 28 degreesC and 33 degreesC groups were much higher than that of the 23 degreesC group (P < 0.001), and the 33 degreesC group's consumption rate was higher than that of the 28 degreesC group (P < 0.05). The relationship of food consumption with temperature and initial body weight (W ; mg) could be described as: C = 0.0679W + 0.185t - 3.17. Growth increased significantly with increased temperature. The relationship among specific growth rate, temperature and initial body weight was as follows: SGR = -0.110W + 0.213t + 0.176. However, temperature showed no effect on growth efficiency. Oxygen consumption increased significantly with temperature (P < 0.01). The weight-specific oxygen consumption rates (mg O-2 g(-1) h(-1) ) at 23 degreesC, 28 degreesC and 33 degreesC were 0.83, 1.16 and 1.49 mg O-2 g(-1) h(-1) for 61.92 mg M. rosenbergii.