| Abstract: |
To determine the optimal salinity for growth and first sexual maturity of Exopalaemon carinicauda, the effects of salinity on growth and reproductive performance of early juvenile prawns of E. carinicauda were evaluated under laboratory conditions. Postlarvae from the same female broodstock were reared at six salinity levels (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30) for 12 weeks. The specific growth rate (SGR) and survival rate (SR) under different salinity levels in the first 6 weeks were calculated and compared. SGR was significantly influenced by salinity. Prawns reared in salinity of 10 grew significantly faster (P < 0.05) than those reared in salinities of 5, 20, 25, and 30. However, ANOVA confirmed that there was no significant effect among the six salinity levels on SR. For the next 6 weeks, the body length (BL), body weight (BW) at the first sexual maturity, and the age at median sexual maturity (A(50)) of females were measured and compared. Female prawns reared at salinity of 10 presented significantly shorter A(50), but no significant differences among the six salinity levels for BL and BW at the first sexual maturity were observed. Based on the above information, the optimal salinity for growth and first sexual maturity of juvenile E. carinicauda is approximately 10.
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