The use of Artemia sp. or mysids as food source for hatchlings of the cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis L.); effects on growth and survival throughout the life cycle

Twoexperiments were conducted to determine the effects ofArtemia sp. or mysids on growth and survival ofS. officinalis hatchlings, and their effect throughout thelife cycle. For experiment I, for the first 20 days, one group was fed adultArtemia sp. and the other was fed mysid shrimp(Paramysis nouvelli). Eggs laid by females in both groupswere counted and weighed, and hatchlings were weighed, to determine differencesin both groups. For experiment II, during the first 10 days, one group was fedArtemia sp. and the other was fed mysids (P.nouveli). After the period of differentiated feeding, the 2 groupsinexperiment I were fed grass shrimp (Paleomonetes varians)to 70 days old, and dead crabs (Carcinus maenas)afterwards. Cuttlefish in experiment II were fed grass shrimp from day 10 untilthe end of the experiment. For both experiments, hatchlings fed mysids grewsignificantly bigger (p < 0.01) and survival was higher. For experiment I,eggs laid by females fed mysids and the hatchlings born from these eggs werebigger (p < 0.001) compared to the group fed Artemiasp.initially. Individual fecundity was slightly higher for females in the groupfedArtemia sp. (163 eggs female^–1) than forthe group fed mysids (144 eggs female^–1). Egg laying startedatthe age of 125 days and lasted 45 days in both groups. Time between first egglaying day and first hatchlings to be born was 21 days. The last female to die(after spawning) in both groups was 167 days (less than 6 months old).