The concentrating method of benthic diatom affects the growth of juvenile sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) and water quality

Concentrating methods generally affect the vitality of the microalgae and may alter its feeding and environmental effect. This article studied the concentrating methods (centrifugation and settlement) on primary productivity of the microalgae Cylindrotheca fusiformis. The effects of free settled C. fusiformis, centrifuged C. fusiformis and macroalgae Sargassum polycystum on growth of the sea cucumber, farming water and sediment quality under two light intensities (1500 lx and 500 lx) were studied by a six‐week rearing experiment. The results showed that the primary productivity of free settled C. fusiformis was 3–4 times higher than that of those centrifuged, indicating centrifugation inhibited the photosynthesis process. In the rearing experiment, feed, light intensities and their interactions significantly affected the specific growth rate (SGR) of the animals (P < 0.01). The animals reared in higher light intensity also had higher SGR, but only those fed free settled C. fusiformis reached a significant level (P < 0.05). The group also had the highest SGR (P < 0.05), suggesting that the photosynthesis ability of C. fusiformis directly contributed to the growth of the animals. During the experiment, the soluble inorganic nitrogen, reactive phosphorus in farming water, total nitrogen and total organic carbon in the sediment gradually increased in all treatments. The S. polycystum group had slightly higher level of nutrients in water and sediment at the end of the experiment for its high organic content. These results provide evidence that the harvesting methods of C. fusiformis directly affect its vitality, which consequentially alter the feeding and environmental effect, especially under higher light densities.