Effects of soluble dietary cellulose on specific growth rate, survival and digestive enzyme activities in three freshwater crayfish (Cherax) species

Abstract

The current study evaluated the effect of soluble dietary cellulose on growth, survival and digestive enzyme activity in three endemic, Australian freshwater crayfish species (redclaw: Cherax quadricarinatus, marron: C. tenuimanus, yabby: C. destructor). Separate individual feeding trials were conducted for late-stage juveniles from each species in an automated recirculating freshwater, culture system. Animals were fed either a test diet (TD) that contained 20% soluble cellulose or a reference diet (RD) substituted with the same amount of corn starch, over a 12-week period. Redclaw fed with RD showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) specific growth rates (SGR) compared with animals fed the TD, while SGR of marron and yabby fed the two diets were not significantly different. Expressed cellulase activity levels in redclaw were not significantly different between diets. Marron and yabby showed significantly higher cellulase activity when fed the RD (P < 0.05). Amylase and protease activity in all three species were significantly higher in the animals fed with RD (P < 0.05). These results indicate that test animals of all three species appear to utilize starch more efficiently than soluble dietary cellulose in their diet. The inclusion of 20% soluble cellulose in diets did not appear, however, to have a significant negative effect on growth rates.

Effect of different diets on digestive enzyme activities, in vitro digestibility, and midgut gland structure in juvenile crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus

“…The results of Dammannagoda et al . () are in disagreement with our results because they observed that C. quadricarinatus adults showed significantly higher protease and amylase activities when fed the reference diet. The proteinase activity in animals of D group fed with RF showed relative high levels than those reported by Dammannagoda et al .…”

“…Our results are in agreement with Lee et al (1984) and Gamboa-Delgado et al (2003), who observed that digestive enzymes activity in Litopenaeus vannamei varies in relation to the protein level in the diet and body weight. The results of Dammannagoda et al (2015) are in disagreement with our results because they observed that C. quadricarinatus adults showed significantly higher protease and amylase activities when fed the reference diet. The proteinase activity in animals of D group fed with RF showed relative high levels than those reported by Dammannagoda et al (2015) in the same species.…”

“…The proteinase activity in animals of D group fed with RF showed relative high levels than those reported by Dammannagoda et al . () in the same species. In addition, Andres et al .…”

“…Additional studies on the relative ability of freshwater crayfish species to utilize different carbohydrate sources and assessment of their potential levels of inclusion in artificial diets can provide important data that will be required to formulate species‐specific and cost‐effective formulated feeds for farmed freshwater Cherax species (Dammannagoda et al . ).…”

“…Simon (2009), studying the effect of feeding and diet type on the digestive response of spiny lobsters Jasus edwardsii, demonstrated that this species display a natural enzymatic secretory response to formulated diet, which represents an important precondition for the development of successful diets for commercial culture. Additional studies on the relative ability of freshwater crayfish species to utilize different carbohydrate sources and assessment of their potential levels of inclusion in artificial diets can provide important data that will be required to formulate species-specific and cost-effective formulated feeds for farmed freshwater Cherax species (Dammannagoda et al 2015).…”