Effects of Different Maintenance Systems and Density on Behavioral Responces of Young European Medicinal Leeches, Hirudo Medicinalis

Inroduction & Medicinal leeches are using extensively in the biological researches as well as pharmaceutical industries and cosmetics. The aim of this study was to investigate behavioral responses of young medicinal leeches kept on the two kinds of rearing system.
Material and Young leeches with an average weight of 0.2 grams introduced to 8 treatments (3 replicates) with density of 50 (1G), 50 (2G), 60 (3G), 70 (4G), 80 (5G), 90 (6G), 100 (7G) and 110 (8G) per tank. Their placement status and nature of the locomotor activity in the rearing tanks were investigated during 6 days trial period.
According to the results the lowest percentage of leeches in the bottom of tanks, the highest percentage at water outside, the lowest percentage without moving and the highest percentage of them with respiratory movements, with a significant difference compared to other groups, were recorded in G1 (р 5. Finally, the lowest percentage of leeches with respiratory movements, of G2, G3 and G5 were recorded in groups (р).
Compared with static maintenance system, recirculating water system, had a positive effects on leeches’ behavioral characteristics and G5 with density of 80 leeches in each tank indicated the best results among other treatments.