Survival and growth of instar 1 phyllosoma of the western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus, starved before or after periods of feeding

Adequate nutrition is a principal factor in controlling survival and growth in crustacean larval culture. The present study examined the effects of starvation before or after feeding on survival, total intermoult period and postmoult size of phyllosoma of the western rock lobster, Panulirus cygnus. Individually held instar 1 larvae were reared at 25 °C and submitted to initial periods of starvation to determine the 50% level of the point-of-no-return (PNR₅₀), and initial periods of feeding to determine the 50% level of the point-of-reserve-saturation (PRS₅₀). As the initial starvation periods before feeding increased, the total intermoult period for instar 1 larvae that survived increased. The PNR₅₀ was 4.6 days. The different initial feeding periods before starvation resulted in a difference in postmoult size of larvae after moulting to instar 2, but had little effect on the total intermoult period. Larvae fed for the shortest periods were significantly smaller than those fed longer. The PRS₅₀ was 3.6 days. For both treatments, limited effects of the starvation or feeding regimes were apparent for larvae that moulted to instar 2 and continued development to instar 3. When larvae were fed before PNR₅₀, there were no delayed effects of the initial starvation period. Initial feeding periods longer than 5–6 days did not significantly affect larval survival or growth. This information will be useful in the design of feeding regimes in phyllosoma culture.