The effect of temperature and sand substrate in tanks on the growth and survival of the warty sea cucumber Neostichopus grammatus

Abstract

Water temperature and the presence of sand substrate are considered critical environmental factors affecting the growth of cultured sea cucumbers. This study investigated the effects of water temperatures and the presence or absence of sand substrate in tanks on the growth of N. grammatus fed an equal ration of abalone waste for eight weeks. Sea cucumbers with a mean weight of 8.34 g were used for the study. The treatments used in the study were Ambient water temperature + sand (A + S), Ambient water temperature without sand (A‐S), Cold water temperature + sand (C + S), and Cold‐water temperature without sand (C–S). The cold/constant water temperature was 16°C and was representative of winter conditions while the ambient/fluctuating water temperature fluctuated between 16.4 and 18.7 °C and was representative of spring conditions. At the end of the study, the sea cucumbers in A + S and C + S treatment groups exhibited an overall weight increase of 21.08% and 6.18%, respectively. The sea cucumbers reared in ambient water temperature exhibited significantly higher mean weight than those reared in cold water ( F 1, 66 = 5.69; p = 0.02), and sea cucumbers reared with sand substrate had significantly higher mean weight compared to those without sand substrate ( F 1,66 = 19.06; p = N. grammatus in tanks were higher in ambient temperatures and that stress was reduced in the presence of sand, a habitat that mimics its natural environment. This implies that sand substrate may be necessary for the farming of N. grammatus .

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