The effect of salinity on growth performances, body composition and hemolymph of oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense De Haan, 1849)

Understanding the role of salinity is importance on growth and survival of oriental river prawn and also enhancing its potential production. An experiment with salinities of freshwater (control), 6, 9 and 12 gL-1 was conducted for 8 weeks. 250 prawn juveniles with an initial average weight of 1.5±0.44g randomly distributed between 15 glass aquaria of 100 liters. With increasing salinity levels up to gL-1, the growth performance and blood biochemicals including cortisol and glucose showed no improvment and had significant differences with other treatments (P<0.05). Growth parameters such as BWI(%) and SGR in control treatment (0 gL-1) comparing with 6 gL-1 were relatively increased without showing any significant differences (P>0.05). However, the FER and SR in T1, T2, T3 and T4 (0, 6, 9 and 12 gL-1) showed no significant difference (P>0.05). Some hemolymph biochemicals including cortisol and glucose were increased in T5 (16 gL-1) and the improvement was not observed (P<0.05). This study indicated that the reared prawns have relatively better performance in freshwater.