Effects of temperature and feeding regime on food consumption, growth, gonad production and quality of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

Abstract

Water temperature is one of the most important factors greatly affecting the aquaculture of sea urchins. However, no informationis available on how to improve commercial traits of sea urchins reared at high water temperature. Here, weinvestigated the effects of water temperature and feeding regime on food consumption, growth, gonad production, gametogenesisand gonad quality of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius. We found that high water temperature (22C) significantlydecreased dried food consumption and gonad production of S. intermedius, but not the somatic growth. The feedingregime of formulated feed and kelp has direct application potential in S. intermedius aquaculture, especially at field temperature.Feeding kelp alone is not effective in supporting growth and gonad production for S. intermedius cultured at high watertemperature. This finding greatly challenges the current commonly used feeding regime (feeding macroalgae only) for S. intermediuscultured at high water temperature. Based on the current results, we suggest the feeding regimes of formulated feed andkelp or formulated feed alone for S. intermedius aquaculture at high water temperature. The present study provides new informationfor aquaculture of S. intermedius at high temperature and for production out of season.